


Forty Days and Forty Nights

by Angelsgrace



Category: Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Falling In Love, First Time Blow Jobs, French Kissing, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, NIpple stimulation, Platonic Kissing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2015-01-21
Packaged: 2018-02-17 09:55:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 51,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2305559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelsgrace/pseuds/Angelsgrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis Tomlinson can't make it work with his girlfriend and Harry Styles can't find anyone he's interested in dating.</p><p>When their friends point out that their problem is because "they are too consumed with their relationship with each other", they jokingly decide to give it a go.</p><p>For forty days and forty nights, Harry and Louis will be in an official relationship.  But is it just a game?  Or have they really been together all along?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Best Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis can't make it work with his girlfriend and Harry can't find a girl he's enthusiastic about dating. When their friends point out that the problem is because they are too caught up with already "being in a relationship with each other" they jokingly decide to give it a go.
> 
> For forty days and forty nights, Harry and Louis will officially be in a relationship, but is it all just a game or have they really been together all along?

Harry Styles was restless.  He'd finished his coursework, uploaded his new photos onto Facebook, updated his status and checked out the latest happenings on Twitter.  Now what?

His best friend/ flat mate was out with his girlfriend.  His other close friend Zayn Malik was out of town for the week, and he couldn't be bothered to call Taylor Swift, the girl who he'd recently started seeing.  Sure, she was a lovely girl and he liked her, but he didn't feel up to hours of her hinting about being his official girlfriend.  Which was all she seemed to do lately.

Stretching out his long limbs in front of him on his bed, feeling the satisfying crack of his joints, he refreshed his Facebook page.  He already had twenty two notifications, twelve of which were from Louis Tomlinson, who had liked each and every one of the pictures he'd just added.

Harry chuckled.  Only Louis would check his Facebook notifications in the middle of a date and like everything he'd been tagged in.  Smiling to himself, he flicked through his favourite album.

Harry had only had his own account for three years, but most of the pictures predate, going back six or seven years, starting from a couple of weeks after they'd first met.

He had titled it "Larry Stylinson - The Story Of" and was full of pictures of himself and Louis.  Selfies, excursions, nights out, nights in, hanging out with their friends at college, momentous occasions had all been carefully captured by Harry's camera and documented in that very album.  There had been a lot of them.  They were inseparable.  Much to various girlfriends displeasure. 

 _ **Louis Tomlinson** get off _ _Facebook and remember that I'm actually with you!_

Harry smirked at Eleanor Calder's status that popped up at the top of his screen.  Seconds later he received a private message.

 **_Louis Tomlinson:_ ** _What you up to?_

 **_Harry Styles:_ ** _Nothing_

 **_Louis Tomlinson:_ ** _Sounds fun.  I'll come join you._

 **_Harry Styles:_ ** _Get me a drink on your way up ;-)_

 

Turning on the television, Harry put his laptop to the side, stripped down to his boxers to get comfortable under the covers, finding something to watch. 

It wasn't long before Louis burst into his bedroom, juggling two mugs and a packet of cookies.  

"Sup Hazza!" he greeted in usual boisterous Louis fashion, climbing into his designated side of the bed and passing Harry his special mug.

"Good date?" asked Harry, knowing the answer without even having to ask.  Years of friendship had made each of them know exactly what the other one was thinking without even having to talk - but that would lead to hours of silent conversations which would be so incredibly boring.

Louis shrugged "We got milkshakes, sat in the park for a bit, watched ducks" he sounded incredibly unenthusiastic "What we watching?"  He asked pepping up a little "Is this all you've done tonight?"

"You know I put photos up" Harry drawled sipping his tea "You pissed off your girlfriend by liking them"

Louis' eyes crinkled as he laughed "Ha!  Yeah, she got in a right snark about that"

Harry's lips tugged into a half smile as he poked Louis in the ribs "Maybe you should pay her more attention and she wouldn't get cross with you"

"Maybe you shouldn't distract me whilst I'm out with her by posting pictures that I look hot in!"

Harry rolled his eyes and went back to watching the tv, pulling out his phone to send out a few random tweets.

Louis shifted erratically next to him, shimmying out of his jeans whilst still under the covers.  He accidentally kicked Harry in the process.  Harry said nothing, he just gave Louis more room to move and continued to tap his screen.

 

"Nice Hazza, I'm going to get in the shit with that" said Louis as soon as his phone notified him of the tweets, then raised his hands to emphasise the point as he showed Harry his phone screen stating that Eleanor was calling.

"Alright love?" he asked enthusiastically answering it and pretending to glare at Harry who was miming his over cheery face whilst holding his own phone to his ear.

"What you on about?" he asked "Harry?  Yeah, he's right here.  You want to talk to him? Ok...Hazza?"

"Yup?"  Harry's face was the picture of innocence.

"She says can you stop tweeting stuff like that because it makes me look gay and it's embarrassing her" Louis made a face.

"Sorry Ellie!" Harry chirped loudly

"And stop calling her Ellie"

"Sorry Eleanor!"

Harry tried to swallow his laughter, that girl could be so insecure sometimes.  He didn't listen in to the rest of the phone call, but watched instead as Louis got bored with it.  Shifting around, fiddling with the duvet, picking up Harry's phone and starting to play Temple Run.

Finally after twenty more minutes of constant agreeing, reassuring and eye rolling, Eleanor finally said goodnight and Louis switched his phone off.

Without saying anything, Harry passed Louis a cookie, he couldn't help but wonder why she had such a problem with him.  He was only hanging out with his best friend.  What was wrong with that?

The rest of the night continued like that.  Chatting over tea and biscuits, singing along to the songs on the tv, and finally falling asleep next to each other moments after the number one had been revealed.  It was just a typical Wednesday.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Alright, spill" demanded Zayn putting down his Xbox controller and glaring at a subdued Harry and Louis who were sitting tangled up on the settee wearing identical woebegone expressions.

"Eleanor dumped me" replied Louis shrugging "No big deal"

"and let me guess, harry has sympathy pain?"

"no" Harry replied testily "I told Taylor we weren't going to work out, and that's why I didn't want to be her boyfriend" he looked down at his hands "she didn't take it well"

"What do you mean?" demanded Louis turning to face Harry, absentminded playing with his curls "what did she say to you?"

"Dont matter" Harry said quietly "You play my turn Ni, I don't feel like it tonight"

He chucked the controller to Niall Horan who was waiting expectantly at his feet.

"Hazza! What did she say to you?" Louis was not going to let the subject drop, and was feeling beyond irritated, that a girl was the reason his favourite person in the whole world was frowning.

Harry looked up through his eyelashes and quietly survayed the group of boys surrounding him.  Zayn was sitting in the furthest armchair, Niall had spun around to face him from the floor and Liam Payne was walking back in from the kitchen armed with more cans of drink.  All of them were his best friends, all of them could be trusted.

"It's really stupid" he started, flushing a little in the face "But she said she wasn't surprised I wasn't up for a commitment, because I was already married..." He paused, snorted for effect and continued "to Louis!"

He laughed, expecting the others to join in, but instead only the sound of his own echoed around the silent room.

"Isn't that the most stupid thing you've ever heard?" He tried again.

Liam and Zayn were exchanging uneasy glances, Niall was stuffing his fist into his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud, eyes watering from the strain and Louis...Louis was looking at him with a strange look of wonder mixed with contemplation.

It made Harry feel suddenly very exposed and insecure.  Like they all knew something that he didn't.

"What?" He suddenly asked flatly.

Louis was the first to speak.

"That's so strange" he muttered, then shrugged "Don't let it worry you babe" he finished and pulled Harry into his side, draping his arm around him "Another game lads?"

"Why did Eleanor dump you Lou?" Asked Zayn, leaning forward in his chair and watching him with interest.

Now Louis was looking shifty.

"She didn't...erm...she didn't think all my friendships were appropriate " he shrugged "Definitely her issue"

"Any friendship in particular?" pressed Zayn, a smirk tugging on the corners of his mouth and shared a look with Liam again who was frowning.

"Might have been Harry" Louis mumbled

Harry looked devastated "She didn't like me?" 

"no girlfriend appreciates competition" chucked Niall wisely from the floor, peeping up at them with wide, cheeky blue eyes.

"Hey" said louis gently stroking Harry's cheek "I don't care what she thinks "I'm not giving up my bestie for anyone.  It's not your fault she didn't bother to get to know you" he tugged harry into his lap, pushing his head down so it was resting on his shoulder "Are you ok love?" He asked gently stroking Harry's back.

"and you don't see what the problem is?" Came Liam's sarcastic tone.

Both Harry and Louis looked up in surprise.

"what?" They both asked in unison

"Do you see me sitting on Zayn's lap?" Liam asked exasperated 

Harry and Louis shared glances 

"But we always sit like this?" Harry argued, not making any sign of moving away from Louis' lap.

Louis said nothing, but glared a little, clasping his hands around Harry's narrow waist.

"Face it" Liam told them "You two act more like a couple than either of you two have with any girl you've dated.  And there shit loads of evidence to back that up"

Both Harry and Louis made noises of disagreement.

"Oh you so do!" Exclaimed Niall, grabbing his phone out of his pocket "You don't even hide it!"

"Like what?" Louis challenged. Harry frowned and gave Louis a small kiss on the cheek "They're just messing with you Lou.  Don't get upset"

Louis closed his eyes, feeling calm as Harry nuzzled into his neck.

"Exibit a" Zayn announced triumphantly indicating to their display of affection.

"Exibit b" continued Niall scrolling through his phone "Behold this tweet"

He held up his phone to show Liam and Zayn first.

"Oh yeah!  That's a good one" nodded Liam.

"Can we see it?"

Niall held up the phone to the two glowering boys.

"Explain?" He asked

"What?" Asked Harry indignantly "I was in the shower, he was hungover.  Sometimes we share the bathroom"

"And tweet about what you saw?" Asked Zayn dryly "What about this picture on Facebook.  Harry looks like he's definitely enjoying your hand Lou"

"Means nothing" Louis shrugged off.

"Larry Stylinson!" Pretty much shouted Niall getting excited.

"Well that's self explanatory" Harry looked a little sad "I thought it was funny"

"It's what couples do" Liam told him like he was talking to a small child, to which Harry stuck out his bottom lip, starting to sulk.

"Tell me Louis" asked Zayn sitting back in his chair with a self satisfied look on his face "what was the first word Harry ever said to you?"

"Oops.  Where are you going with this?"

"Harry.  what was the first word you heard out of Lou's mouth?"

"Hi..."

"show me your tattoos again?"

Both Harry and Louis immediately went to pull up their sleeves.

"Liam? What was the first word I said to you when we met?" 

Liam laughed "I have no idea" he shrugged.

"Do you see where I am going with  this?" asked Zayn like he had just cleared the whole matter up.

Both Harry and Louis glanced at each other.  Harry slid off his lap, but kept his legs resting over Louis'.

"Just forget it" Liam sighed throwing his arms up in the air in defeat "Haz and Lou are just going to turn a blind eye to their special friendship and forever wonder why they can't ever make something happen with a girl"

"What is wrong with us being close?" Harry asked Louis softly "Is it really weird?"

"No" answered Louis shortly stroking his cheek and shooting a glare at the other three "They're just jealous"

Zayn sighed, picked up his controller and started another game.

"I wonder what happens that they don't tweet about" mused Niall staring at a spot on the wall above the tv.  He turned back around quickly, a bright look of inspiration on his face "Have you ever kissed?"

Harry and Louis looked at each other, having a silent conversation.

"oh my god they have!" Niall squealed, jumping up and down whilst still sitting "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Who started it?  When was it? Were you drunk?  How many times?"

"Not saying a word" sniffed Louis "You're just going to take it out of context like everything else"

"Might as well just tell them" Harry said bluntly "Get it all out in the open.  Give them something else to obsess over"

"well for starters it was strictly platonic and technical" Louis defended them quickly "It wasn't romantic"

"Drunken?" Asked Niall gleefully "Was it your first kiss?" He asked Harry compassionately 

Harry rolled his eyes but looked uncomfortable.

"No" he told Niall stiffly "It was just afterwards"

"You kissed a girl and the first thing you did was kiss Louis?"

"Of course not" harry huffed pouting again, then looking shy

"so how...?" Asked Liam

"Kendell was my first kiss and she said I was really bad" admitted harry looking at his large hands, one of which was immediately taken up by louis "I was upset and nervous, so louis suggested I show him...and I did"

"was it good?" Asked Zayn curiously 

"He was a bit hesitant at the start, but he soon warmed up and he was perfect" replied louis for him giving Harry a fond look

"So perfect you went back for round two?" wheedled Niall, eyes growing bigger as he looked back and forth between the two of them

"That was just because El had tried something on me and it felt weird at the time, so I tried to describe it, so I just showed him" Louis shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Did you like it?" Zayn grinned

"Hazza's an amazing kisser so of course" Louis poked at one of Harry's dimples with his finger as Harry preened, the slight hint of a blush on his cheeks.

"Did you feel anything?" asked Liam coolly

"I didn't get a hard on if that's what you mean!" Harry sounded indignant "We were just friends helping each other out.  Platonic and technical!" he emphasised 

"Prove it" challenged Liam crossing his arms and raising one eyebrow "If you're just friends who kiss each other for platonic reasons then there is no reason why you can't show us"

"pervert" muttered Louis darkly, but Harry fixed his smouldering green eyes on Liam's brown ones and steadied their gaze.

Turning to Louis and shifting forward so that his bum was fully pressed against the smaller boys thigh and slid one hand through the hair at the back of his head, leaning his face forward, nosing at his best friends smooth cheek before gently pressing his lips to Louis'.

Zayn and Liam watched, eyes wide, mouths open in astonishment.

Niall already had his camera filming them from the second Harry had shifted forward in his seat, internally squealing like a little girl.

Louis smiled into the kiss and slowly licked into Harry's mouth, bringing up his hands to tug gently on his gorgeous curls, enjoying how Harry's tongue was gently and sweetly caressing his - just like he'd taught him all those months before.  It wasn't a quick kiss by any means but Louis ended it first, slowly and deliberately pressing a small precise kiss on Harry's lips, then smiling as he drew away.

"See"  Harry addressed the boys "Strictly platonic"

An awkward silence fell around the room, Harry and Louis opening smirking at the other boys discomfort.  Funnily enough they didn't stick around for long after that, and the night ended quite abruptly.

It was only when Harry was alone in bed that he received a message from Niall.  It was the video of him and Louis that he had filmed of them kissing earlier.  Attached to it was a message:

 _ **Niall:**  _ _Now you can see what we see, can you see it yet?_

Harry shook his head smiling.  Poor Niall, it was so blatant that he was wanting to fangirl over him and Louis.  Silly romantic Niall.  He wondered if Louis had got the same message.  

Snuggling down in his duvet, he clicked play and watched as he saw his smiling face lean towards Louis'.  It was almost as though he could feel Louis' fingers still in his hair, the perfect way that their lips slotted together, the sweet taste of his tongue that both soothed and....excited him in equal measures.

He had been smiling when the video had started, but now his tummy was feeling a little odd, as though it was filled with thousands of fluttering butterflies.  Watching the video seemed to have made a different impact than what he'd felt making it.  Unlike making it, watching didn't feel platonic in the slightest.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 "Are you ready yet?" Asked Liam, speaking into his headset and watching Harry and Louis through his laptop.  They had scheduled an evening Skype chat, so far it had mainly consisted of Louis mucking around trying to get into a good light, whilst Harry had followed him around and arranged himself like Louis instructed.

"Yeah, think this is as good as you're gonna get" louis shrugged at the three faces on the small screen. "Of course you could come over, you live two roads away!"

"Niller has an idea, but he thinks you'll hit him" Liam helpfully explained "over to you Ni"

Harry and Louis both shared an ominous look before looking at the screen once more.

"What?" They both deadpanned 

"Good evening lads!" Greeted Niall giving them a little wave "well, you know that chat we had the other night and the video memo I sent all of you?"

Louis groaned, Harry went red and tried to hide his face behind his hands.  Liam and Zayn smirked and Niall cheerfully carried on.

"well I was thinking that maybe you should get together and see how it works out"

"Doesn't work like that Ni" Louis replied without batting an eye "Just because it didnt work out with my girlfriend does not mean that I should go out with Hazza.  No offence" he finished stroking Harry's cheek "I love you very much"

"Why do you keep going on about this?" Groaned Harry, tired of the constant texts and messages he'd received from Niall, hinting about a relationship.

"Because you two are perfect for each other!" Niall told them passionately "You both love each other so much, you think the same things, finish each others sentences, you mirror each other, and that kiss was some steamy shit! You watched it! You know exactly what I'm talking about!  And think about it" he continued "What if you are exactly what you both want only you don't know it because you think this is just a normal friendship when it's totally different to everyone else.  You're both single, just...be together for a few weeks, and then you can either tell me that I was full of shit or you can make me best man at your wedding!"

Harry snorted.  

"How many weeks?" Louis asked.

Niall looked a little taken aback by this question, as did Liam and Zayn.  However, no one looked more surprised than Harry did.

"Are you crazy?" He hissed at Louis under his breath "What are you doing?"

"Right" Louis asked after a pause, looking away from Harry and back to the screen "Say Harry and I date for a little while...."

"Not dating" interrupted Niall "Dating is when you are getting to know someone, you know each other too well, it's gonna have to go straight to the relationship"

"Stupid" Harry glared at Niall.

Louis wrapped his arm around Harry.

"Ok, say we are in a relationship for a while.  How long?"

"Forty days and forty nights" Liam plucked out of thin air, it sounded familiar anyway.

"Thats lent" Harry muttered, trying to slide out of the way of the camera, shifting around uncomfortably in his chair.

"What he said" Niall jerked his thumb at Liam "And you have to see each other every day, at least three dates a week and you have to be like a proper couple...in public"

"Im not kissing him in public!" Harry squeaked looking aghast.

"Sorry Lou" he quickly said as Louis looked a little stung by his outburst "But I don't want people laughing at me.  Taylor would really take the piss out of that, and there's going to be questions and stuff about why Taylor and I split up" he put his head in his hands "She's already telling people I wouldn't touch her in that way...people are going to think it's because of..." he let the words hang in the air.

Louis gave him a squeeze and looked thoughtful "What's in it for you?" He asked his three friends "Why is this such a big deal for you.  Are you part of a bet or something?" he accused.

"To know what would happen if you did get together" Niall said kindly "we love you and we don't want you to be missing out on something amazing because you are looking at it in the wrong light"

"and if we really are just friends?" Harry mumbled "What if we are just really good friends?" 

"then we never mention it again" Zayn promised.

Louis shrugged and lent back in his chair nonchalantly "what the hell, I'm in" 

Harry looked strangely at Louis then shot backwards, the sound of his chair scraping sharply on the tiled floor "this is fucking ridiculous!" He huffed storming off in the direction of his bedroom.

"Harry!" Louis groaned and buried his head in the crook of his elbow on the desk "Im gonna go after him" he told his webcam and his friends "Night lads, talk to you later"

And with that he closed the laptop.

 

Harry was hiding under his duvet, not even a single curl peeking out when Louis found him.  He cautiously sat next to the lump and patted where he expected the boys shoulder to be "I want to do it" he said simply before falling quiet.  The lump under his hand stiffened.

"I mean, it's an idea" Louis carried on, frowning as he thought about it "Who knows us better than they do?" he asked vaguely.

He could hear Harry mutter something, but Louis had no way of hearing through the thick covers.

"What babe?" he asked

The bed moved as Harry shuffled under the covers and although his head didn't make an appearance, a hand did, searching for Louis blindly, then grabbing his arm and tugging at him.  Louis got the hint and crawled into bed, making sure the duvet was high over his head too.  He couldn't see Harry's face in the darkness, just felt his warm breath on his cheek and feel their knees bump together.

"I said, we know each other better than they do" Harry repeated, and then fell silent.

"You know me better than anyone" Louis agreed, reaching out with his fingers to find Harry's hair to play with, it feel soft and silky under his skin, and twirled it gently "Maybe even better than I know me!"

"Same" murmured Harry.  Louis felt Harry's hand beginning to stroke his forearm.  It was so strange, he realised, that whenever they were together, they always had to be touching each other somehow.  He'd never recognised it before.

"Why do you want to do this?" asked Harry very quietly, holding Louis' hand tightly.

"Because I'm curious" Louis started "Because they won't shut up until we try.  Because it would be awesome to tell everyone that I'm 'The" Harry Style's boyfriend"

Harry chuckled.

"But mainly.." Louis' voiced lowered slightly as he wiggled right up close to Harry, taking the hand the boy held and resting it on his slender hip bone "Because for forty days and forty nights there's the possibility that you might let me do this..."

He trailed off, gently rubbing the tip of his nose against Harry's for a few seconds, before closing his eyes and sweetly kissed the younger boys lips before slowly retreating.

"You want to kiss me?" Harry's voice sounded horse and slightly strangled.

"I really do" whispered Louis huskily, inching forward till he was pressed right up against Harry, from his ankles, to his knee, to his chest, searching out Harry's soft, plump lips to slot between his own.  He found his target immediately, starting off slow and precise, barely letting his lips touch Harry's before drawing away a millimetre before beginning the kiss again, and although Harry's body remained rigid and unmoving, his lips were soft and supple, reaching out for his, making sure they touched that little bit longer each time, until Louis swiped his tongue subtly along Harry's bottom lip, tangling his fingers in hair hair and pushing himself as far as possible into Harry's strong frame.  Immediately Harry responded, pressing one hand right in the middle of Louis' shoulder blades, holding him tight and close, letting the smallest of whimpers escape his lips as Louis hungrily licked into his mouth.

"Harry?" asked Louis, dizzy and lightheaded from the kisses that were rapidly changing his world one kiss at a time.  He tried to pull away, but Harry was keeping his mouth captured with his own and wouldn't let him stop.  But Louis had already felt it.

"Haz?" he whispered again, heart racing, stomach twisting in knots, lips feeling deliciously swollen "You're hard!"

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

Harry snorted "I've barely a semi Lou" he muttered lazily before manovering the duvet off their faces and looking into Louis' slightly flushed one "did you really think a couple of lukewarm kisses would get me riled up so quickly?" He laughed "I'm hurt!"

"Let me try again then" Louis breathed in response, wondering exactly how much Harry was actually packing down there, considering the larger than average bulge he could still feel against his thigh.  He licked his lip in anticipation, eyes fixed upon Harry's gorgeous mouth, realising how badly he wanted to kiss it.

"You're trying to make me hard now?"

"Don't want my boyfriend to think I'm neglecting him"

But Harry just laughed and rolled away from Louis onto his back.

"Funny thing is Lou, Im not your boyfriend"

"You really don't want to try this do you?" 

Louis flopped onto his back next to Harry, resting his head dejectedly on the younger boys shoulder.

"Why do you want to try it?  Really?" Harry asked, beginning to card his fingers through Louis' fine hair, pressing a smooth kiss to his forehead.

"I don't know" admitted Louis "I just don't want to regret not doing it"

"I like kissing you" Harry mused, staring at the ceiling with his bright green eyes "Always have, even though I thought I shouldn't"

"Same" 

Harry rolled over onto his side, face resting on the palm of his hand where his arm was propped up on the pillow.

"Kiss me?" He asked, giving Louis a small smirk "I want to see if its something I could put up with for the next five weeks"

Louis' eyes brightened and he beamed up at Harry, before pulling his head down by his hair and giving him a long slow kiss, before retreating and looking at him questioning.

Harry frowned, then leaned across Louis to reach his phone.

Holding it away from his prying eyes, he tapped away for a few seconds, then put it away, turning to Louis with a secret smile.

Louis' phone chimed.  Picking it up, he went straight to his notifications.

**Harry Styles has requested a relationship with you.**

Beaming, Louis pressed confirm and then dived upon his new "boyfriend" who was grinning madly at him.

Their next kiss was more heated than the first, hungry, primal and sensuous all at the same time, leaving both boys flushed and breathless.

"Fuck" breathed Harry after a few minutes had passed, drawing back a little to allow Louis to gently start nibbling on his neck "Now Im hard!"

He thrust his hips forward and Louis gasped as something incredibly large and indeed hard was pressed against his crotch.  There was no doubt in his mind now that what he had felt earlier had only been a semi, and that had been big enough!

Harry was wriggling around under the duvet, trying to ease off his tight jeans, his erection feeling trapped by the confining material.  

"Im gonna do something about this" he whispered huskily, into Louis' open mouth "And I want you to kiss me as I do"

"Anything else you want?" Louis felt a little out of his depth.

Instead of answering, Harry kissed him hard, whilst taking his hand and leading it down to where Louis' own cock was straining against the material of his shorts "I want you to make yourself feel good too" he whispered seductively, licking a stripe up Louis' neck, giving a slight moan that could only mean that he'd started.

"Get your shorts off babe.  That can't be comfortable.  You don't need this either" he smirked pulling Louis' t-shirt off over his head, and then  quickly tugging off his own, smirking internally as he saw Louis' eyes rake over his skin.

 

For the first time ever when he was in bed with someone, Louis was not in control and he loved it - in fact, it was the first time Harry had ever taken control of anything they had ever done together.  

Louis was the loud mouth.  Louis was always the one with the sassy, sometimes bossy sarcastic attitude, leading conversation, pushing activities and harry was always the one who followed him.  But now...

Louis whimpered as Harry abandoned stroking his own cock in favour of untying the front of Louis' shorts and dragging them down over his hips and half way down his thighs. He could feel Harry's lips sucking on his collorbone, it felt hot and wet and made his nerve ends quiver with excitement.

"Touch yourself baby" Harry commanded, removing his hand from where it had wandered onto Harry's firm, muscular bum cheek and return it to his own leaking cock "i want to see your face when you come all over me"

Louis gasped, images of Harry's ink covered chest and stomach splattered with white from his own cock, grabbing it roughly and started to pump it hard and fast, bucking his hips back and forth, more desperate to make the image a reality more than to feel the euphoria that was his orgasam.

"Slower baby" 

Harry grabbed his hand, effectively stopping it from moving, and began to guide it, making Louis slowly slide his hand up and down his shaft, stroking instead of tugging.

"Take your time" Harry murmured, maintaining their eye contact, his green eyes almost black with lust and arousal "I want you to enjoy yourself, I want to watch you enjoy yourself"

He stuttered for a moment as he moaned, gathering the precome that was leaking from the tip and using it as lube as he matched the slow intense strokes that he'd just taught Louis how to do.

Louis looked so hot right now and he blatantly had no idea what he was doing to Harry's insides.  He was whimpering and his hips were frantically trying to buck into his hand, but he was being a good boy and doing exactly what Harry had asked of him, but Harry could tell that control was slowly slipping away from him.

"You are so sexy Louis Tonlinson" Harry panted, quickening his pace "You look so hot for me.  Can you come for me Lou?  I want you all over me"

He pressed his face close to Louis' kissing him desperately feeling the familiar heat build inside him watching as Louis came undone right in front of him, letting out an abrupt squeak before spilling all over his hand and shooting all over his stomach seconds before Harry came.

Both boys lay panting together, Louis was visibly shaking, trembling under Harry's hands as he was gathered into his strong arms.  Neither of them spoke, but kissed deeply before Harry gently turned Louis away from him, pulling him flush against his chest, delicately kissing his cheek before wrapping him up in his arms and tucking his nose into the back of his neck to fall asleep.

 

The weirdest thing about the whole episode, was that it didn't even feel weird.  It felt like it was something they should have done a very long time ago.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry had imagined the morning after as he had drifted off to sleep.  He'd awoken to a cold and empty bed, Louis had watched him awkwardly as he made his way into the kitchen, and their usual banter and chatter was stilted and awkward.  The relationship status had been cancelled, leading to hundreds of questions from their friends, each of them more difficult to answer than the last.

The reality however, was something that he never could have begun to imagine.

Soft, smiling blue eyes were the first things Harry's sight locked on to, as he sleepily stirred, stretching so his joints could crack.

"Good morning sleepy head" Louis grinned at him, holding out his phone and snapping a quick picture of his "boyfriend" lazily smiling at him, hair disarray, cheek pressed against the sheets.  He looked so adorable, even more so when he stretched out a long arm and knocked his phone away, grabbing his hand and pulling him up close to him.

"Good morning to you too" he rasped, slow and....sexily.  How was Louis only just noticing how sexy Harry sounded in the morning.

"I'm taking you out tonight" Harry told him confidently stroking Louis' defined shoulders under the covers not being able to ignore how Louis was leaning into his touch, closing his eyes, enjoying how Harry was massaging them.

"As in a date?" Louis murmured snuggling closer to Harry and pressing a kiss to his bare chest.

"Our first date" Harry confirmed "Wear something tight!" he joked, lowering his hands and beginning to knead at Louis' bum through his boxers "I want to show my baby off"

Harry wasn't expecting the look that Louis was wearing as he peeped up at him through his long, thick eyelashes.  It looked almost adoring.  There was a cute little blush to his cheeks and was biting down on his lower lip.  It was just all so endearing, Harry could feel the fluttering in his stomach, as he closed his eyes, tilting his head down to kiss that beautiful mouth.  Since when had Louis ever been the cute and cuddly type?

"Don't you have class?" he breathed against those lips, that so perfectly slotted between his.

Louis nodded reluctantly "Yeah" he replied, but instead of sitting up and getting out of bed, he pushed Harry over onto his back and slung his leg over Harry's hips "Didn't want to just fuck off though.  Thought you might be offended or something"

Harry wanted to tell Louis that there was no way he would be offended if he had  _fucked off and left him_ , but it would have been an outright lie.  And Louis knew him too well to know exactly when he was lying.  He didn't even want Louis to leave him to go to class.  This was new.  The thought of them being separated was just too much for him all of a sudden.

"Uh Hazza, can't breathe love" murmured Louis, and Harry was only just aware that he was holding Louis tightly against him, pressing Louis' face against his chest, so his voice came out muffled.

"Oops, sorry Lou" Harry let go and Louis rolled completely out of bed just to jump to his feet and pass Harry his laptop.

"Check out Facebook" he told Harry "And erm..." he stalled in the doorway "Check out my new profile picture whilst you're at it!"

Watching Louis' arse swagger out of the bedroom towards the bathroom, Harry tried to calm his interested twitching boxers and occupied himself by opening his Facebook page.

The amount of likes his new relationship status had received was mind blowing.

246 likes

73 comments 

_**Niall Horan** : Omg omg! Yes!  Yes! Yes! Like! Like! Like!_

_**Perrie Edward** s: Thought you were going out with Taylor Mister Styles?_

_**Niall Horan** : do your homework young Pezza! Haz was never going out with that harpie!  He only loves Louis!!_

_**Eleanor Calder** : He doesn't you delusional peroxide head!  Louis Tomlinson is not and never has been into blokes. He's just trying to get back at me for dumping him by trying to humiliate me.  It's not working  **Louis** **Tomlinson.** Grow up!!!!_

_**Niall Horan**_ : _F_ _unny he went out with you...._

_**Eleanor Calder** : shut up Whoran!_

_**Perrie Edwards**_ : _shut up both of you! Harry, meet for lunch today?_

 **_Niall Horan:_ ** _Pezza don't be such a cock block! Ps check out lou's new profile picture! So cute it makes my cheeks hurt!_

 _ **Zayn Malik**_ : _which cheeks?_

_**Niall Horan** : ...._

 

Harry laughed to himself, imagining Niall's expression and after enjoying reading " _ **Harry styles** is in a relationship with **Louis tomlinson"**_ clicked on the link that took him to louis' page.

The sight warmed his heart.  He was possibly even melting a little bit.

It was an old picture that Liam had taken a few months before, when they had been on a class trip, and was one of those moments when Louis and Harry had been more touchy- feely than usual.  It hasn't meant anything then, not like it did looking at it now.

They had just been standing around chatting when suddenly Harry had felt two hands slide around his waist from in front.  Louis was still chatting away in his quick excitable way, swaying a little from side to side, but there was nothing quick about how his nimble little fingers had snuck underneath Harry's hoodie and was stroking his skin in delicate, soothing little circles on his back.  Harry felt nothing of it to put his own arms around Louis, to hug him back into his chest, when he'd realised Liam was smirking at him, and was looking at him quizzically when his friend had quickly snapped their picture.

It had always been one of his favourites, although something he'd never voiced aloud, and just by looking at it he could still remember the way he felt on that day, Louis touching him and gabbing away like it was the most natural thing in the world.

It seemed like it must have been one of Louis' favourite moments too.

"Like it?" Louis had bustled back into the bedroom, freshly showered and dressed, carrying a mug of green tea for Harry "I can change it if it's going too far?"

He sounded hesitant to Harry's ears and seemed to be waiting for his approval.

"Best picture ever baby" answered harry, loving how calling louis his baby just slid off his tongue without force "I chose this one" and he held out the laptop for Louis to take.

He watched intently as Louis' face cracked into a huge smile and nodded favourably "Nice one Hazza - needs updating though" he leant over to give harry a quick peck on the lips "We're meeting Perrie and Zayn for lunch" he threw over his shoulder "meet us at the tables- I'll save you a seat"

 

Lunch turned out to be one of the highlights of Harry's day.  He met up with Perrie and Zayn (stable couple for the past seven months) outside the library and snagged a prime picnic table in the middle of the grassy lunch area.  

Harry noticed he was getting a few more fingers pointed at him, and a few giggles and snide remarks met his ears, but his friends carried on chatting to him about classes and plans for a night out that he just ended up tuning them out.

Louis was late, as usual, and arrived at a run.

"Sorry!" He panted cheerfully, ignoring the space beside Harry and climbing straight onto his lap, grabbing his face to deposit a huge kiss on Harry's surprised mouth "Niall wouldn't stop talking" he explained "Man is he nosy!"

"Aww babe" cooed Harry chuckling at Louis' disgruntled face and nuzzling his cheek with his nose "He's just excited that he has someone to fangirl over, he'll get bored with it"

"Can we help you?" asked Louis suddenly looking quite wary, giving Perrie and Zayn a suspicious glance.  Both of them were sitting quietly, two identical happy smirks on their faces as they watched Harry and Louis.

"So...this is real?" Asked Perrie looking a little surprised "You are actually together?"

"It's more of an experience" offered Harry quickly before Louis could say it for himself "It's a long story"

"What's long about  _Yes, we're actually together?"_ asked Louis, sliding off Harry's lap neatly and looking rather hurt "It's the truth isn't it?"

Harry looked at Louis in amazement.  Suddenly he felt like he was in the middle of a play and he didn't know his lines.  He was very aware of Louis watching him, his expression getting more and more disappointed every second that Harry remained silent.

"Well of course we're together" Harry recovered smoothly, thinking that he'd have to discuss this kind of questioning later with Louis "I didn't know how much you wanted me to say"

"How did it happen?" asked Perrie eagerly leaning towards the pair, Louis had now slid back onto Harry's lap "Zayn won't tell me anything!"

"It was just meant to happen" answered Louis, turning back to smile softly at Harry before leaning in for another kiss "Doesn't matter how we got here, what's important is that we're here now"

"Awwww" Perrie squealed, sounding a lot like Niall, and turned to Zayn "It's just adorable!" she told him, and Zayn couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"He's taking me out on our first date tonight" Louis told his friends proudly "What are we doing by the way?" he asked, suddenly frowning.

"It's a secret" Harry told him coyly

"Meaning he has no idea" Louis laughed, and then glanced at his watch "Shit, sorry babe, I've gotta run" he quickly kissed Harry's forehead and then jumped to his feet "Pick me up at Niall's will you?" he asked "I'm going straight over to his after classes" and without waiting for an answer, he was off.  A blur of blue and black against the green grass.

"Niall wants to help him get ready for tonight" Zayn input helpfully explaining "So where are you going for this  _date_ _?"_

"He's right, I have no clue" sighed Harry "Damn that boy knows me too well.  How am I ever going to surprise him?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way" smiled Perrie gently, standing up with Zayn "I'm expecting to hear all about it tomorrow" she added "Treat him like a princess remember!"

Harry grinned, then frowned and got out his phone.  He had to make sure this was spectacular.  Maybe he had a little too much riding on this.

 

 

"You cannot be seriously wearing that!" Niall exclaimed in indignation, running a careful eye over Louis' outfit "Come on Lou, it's a date!  Not a hang out at McDonalds!"

"Harry likes this outfit" Louis replied obsenately, referring to black jeans and white t-shirt.

"No" niall told him flatly "It's a good job I stopped by your place to pick something out isnt it!?" And stomped off into his bedroom.

"He's gone super casual" Louis could hear him moan to someone over the phone. "What's Harry wearing?"

"Liam says harry is looking hot" Niall reported rejoining louis in the living room and handing him a crisp white shirt, black trousers and a pair of black braces with tiny white stars on them.  Make an effort Tommo or don't waste my time!"

"Im gonna look too dressed up!" Louis complained, but he stripped down to his boxers anyway.

"For fucks sake Louis! You are not wearing them!" Niall exclaimed looking at the black and white striped boxer briefs, Louis had on "Do you have any pride?  That is not sexy bedroom atire!"

"Look Niall!" Louis huffed, red in the face with embarrassment.  He was nervous enough without Niall picking apart every piece of him "These are the only pair I have.  And Harry's not going to be seeing them anyway!"

Niall disappeared after making another phone call. "Zayn!" He wailed "we need help, this is an urgent situation!  Louis is wearing rank underwear!"

Louis rolled his eyes and went back to buttoning his shirt, hoping that he wasn't going to end up looking like a complete tool in front of Harry.

"Wear these" Niall commanded, thrusting a pair of plain black boxer briefs at him "They're Armarni, they're Zayn's and they're box fresh"

Louis glared at Niall, but took them thankfully.  Would Harry be seeing them later?  Did he want Harry to see them later?  He had been thinking about last night non-stop and he had loved every single second of it...come to think of it, he couldn't remember a time he had come so hard and wanted to come so badly.

"Oh my god! You look perfect!" Niall exclaimed when he was dressed and ready to go "Harry is gonna drool when he sees you like this!"

He was right.  When Louis opened the apartment door to Harry ten long minutes later, Harry's jaw literally hit the floor.

"Wow!" He uttered, sounding like there was too much saliva in his mouth "Lou, you look amazing!"

"Told you!" Squealed Niall from where he was failing at hiding behind the door.

Niall being nosy was all that was needed to break the ice.

Both boys laughed and Harry, who was dressed in a very smart skinny black jeans, white shirt and black blazer, held out his hand for Louis to take.

"Call me if you need anything!" Niall yelled at them just before Louis shut the door in his face "Condoms, lube, someone to film the momentous occasion!"

 

Louis was very pleased to find out that Harry had planned a pretty nice date.  They were going to his favourite Mexican restaurant (where Harry immediately scraped all traces of guacamole from his plate without being prompted - A very couple thing to do), paid the bill and then promptly walked him across the street to where Harry proudly told him that they were going to see The Inbetweeners 2 - a film that Louis had been desperate to go and see.

It was when they were walking up the aisle to their seats that Harry grabbed his arm and went to whisper in his ear.  His voice was soft, yet incredibly deep and sensual, making the hair on the back of Louis' neck stand on end and his chest tight, momentary forgetting how to breathe.

"You have been getting me so hard all night baby" Harry whispered shifting a little so that Louis could feel something hard against his arse cheek "When we get back home, I really want to sleep in your bed and really thank you for coming out with me tonight"

Harry finished by giving the shell of Louis' ear a swift lick, and then pushed him to walk unsteadily up to their seats in the back, legs feeling like jelly, heart beating faster and his cock ignoring all his thoughts about having an inappropriate hard on in front of everyone.

The lights went down and just like normal, Harry pulled up the arm rest between the chairs and pulled Louis closer to him, only this time he was leaving little kisses on the back of Louis' hair, stroking his bare arms.

By the time they had left.  Louis couldn't say a word about what the film had been about.  All he could remember were Harry's whispers in his ear, Harry's lips on his neck, desperately wanting to get home so he could have his Harry in his bed.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Harry and Louis got home, Louis was a complete bundle of nerves.  He had just been on a date with his best friend / pretend boyfriend who had said some incredibly suggestive things to him just before the film started about what would happen when they got home.

And now they were home.

Harry Styles was known for his moves.  He was never single for long if he didn't want to be, and even though at a glance, he was a sweet, shy boy with glossy curls, and dimples that gave him a proper baby face, Louis knew as his best friend/ wingman, that there was a seductive tempter lying in wait beyond the surface.

Just ask any of the dozens of girls he had dated.  Louis couldn't begin to count how many times he'd had to plug in his Beats by Dr Dre to muffle the sound of some girl moaning Harry's name just to get some sleep.  But Harry never made enemies.  No matter how brief the relationship was or how many girls found out about his latest date.  He was always still labeled as good, sweet, kind, adorable Harry.

He'd always wanted to ask how Harry did it, but he never dreamt that he would one day be victim to Harry Styles tried and tested methods.

Louis hovered just inside the front door, watching as Harry shrugged off his blazer, hanging it up tidily before turning a fond look towards him.

"Cup of tea boo?" He asked kindly.

Louis swallowed hard and shook his head.

"Hungry?"

Louis bit his lip and shook his head a little more animatedly "no" he managed to croak. The anticipation was really gettin to him now.  Was it him? Or was it getting hot in here?  Were his palms actually sweating?

Harry ran his fingers through his hair and approached Louis slowly, holding his arms out.

"I had an amazing time with you tonight baby" he smiled, gently putting his arms around the smaller boy and giving him a little squeeze "It was so nice that we did that"

Louis nodded against his chest, unable to speak, worried that Harry would be able to feel exactly how rapidly his heart was beating.

Harry leaned back a little and used his index finger to tilt Louis' chin upwards.

"Tired?" He almost whispered, still smiling at him fondly "Want to go to bed?"

This time Louis nodded vigorously.  Yes!  That was exactly what he wanted.  This was what he'd been thinking about for the past three hours and twenty seven minutes.  He was far from being tired though.

Harry let go of him, but took his hand "Come on then baby" he practically purred, taking up his hand and leading Louis towards his own bedroom, Louis pretty much stumbling after him out of nerves.  He let Harry lead him to the bed and perched him on the edge.  Then he watched with wide eyes as Harry knelt down in front of him between his legs and gave him a gentle open mouthed kiss.  Louis was so wrapped up in the feeling of Harry's tongue and his gorgeous full lips, that he barely noticed how Harry had undone both of his shoes and slid them off his feet along with his socks.

"You look so good tonight Lou" Harry breathed against his mouth, nuzzling at his nose with his own.  Louis vaguely recognised the familiar snap of his braces being undone and hastily removed.

Oh god!  He was being undressed!  Harry Styles.  His best friend.  His roommate.  The most important man in his life, was undressing him!

And he wanted him to.  He full on, hand on heart, wanted Harry to undress him.  This was insane.  How could this possibly feel this right?

Harry pulled away slightly, dotting little kisses along Louis' jaw and whispering in his ear as he started to carefully unbutton Louis' shirt.

"Did you see how everyone in the restaurant was checking you out?" he asked, with a tone that sounded like he was bursting with pride "Because I did.  So many jealous faces, all hating me, because I was out with the most attractive man to walk into that place tonight"

"Not true" Louis managed to say, closing his eyes and enjoying how sinfully good it felt to have Harry kiss slowly down his chest as he unbuttoned his shirt.  He helped slide his arms out of it, and it disappeared from his side with a whoosh of Harry's arm.

The trousers were a little more complicated to remove, due to Louis being sat on them for a start - or so he had thought.  Harry had them unzipped in seconds, and just a little tap on the side of his hip, made Louis instantly lift slightly off the bed for Harry to tug them away from his bum, half way down his legs and off his feet before Louis had even time to register what was going on.

In one swift movement, Harry had hoisted Louis into his arms, by gripping the backs of his thighs, letting his legs dangle either side of his hips.  Louis wrapped his arms around Harry's neck to stop him from flailing about too much - very aware that all he was wearing were Zayn's black Armarni boxer briefs - and moaned quietly as Harry licked deeply into his mouth, whilst at the same time laying him down delicately in Louis' own bed, keeping the kiss going as Harry tucked the duvet over him.

"Thank you so much for tonight baby" Harry smiled, brushing Louis' stray fringe out of his eyes and pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead "Sleep well boo" and still smiling sweetly, Harry gave Louis a little wave, before backing out of the bedroom door, shutting it carefully behind him.

 

What.  The.  Hell.  Was.  That?

 

Louis waited in the dark, listening for some kind of movement outside of his room.  But it was deathly quiet.  He was painfully aware that he was almost naked, lying alone in his bed.  Minutes ticked by.  Why hadn't Harry come back?  Had he changed his mind?  Had he felt up Louis' body and decided he wasn't turned on by him anymore?  Had he ever been turned on by him?

No, that could't be it.

Louis had felt the passion in Harry's kisses, he'd heard every word uttered out of his mouth that made him quiver and shake from head to toe.  

So why was he alone now?

Without thinking, Louis hopped out of bed and almost ran to the door, flung it open and almost skidded the few feet down the hallway.  Lulling music was filling his ears and he could see the faint flicker of light behind Harry's partially closed door.  Maybe he could just peep into the room and see what Harry was doing.  That wouldn't be so bad, would it?

Ever so quietly, he nudged at the door with his fingers and managed to open it just enough to look through the gap.

The flickering of the light turned out to be from a dozen or so candles that Harry had placed around his room and an instrumental was playing gently in the background.

Harry himself, was lying on his bed, wearing only his own tight black boxers and leaning against his pillows, one leg propped up and bent at the knee, eyes closed, quietly humming to himself.

It was as if he knew that Louis was watching, for his eyes suddenly sprung open and he frowned as he looked towards his door.

"Lou?" he asked hesitantly "Is that you?"

Louis gulped, all his confidence draining out of his body through his feet and seeping into the carpet.

"Uh...yeah" he mumbled and stuck his head around the door, looking decidedly sheepish.

"Are you alright baby?" Harry asked, voice full of concern as he slid off the bed and was by Louis' side in an instant, wrapping the boy up in a bear hug "What's wrong?  You're shaking!"

"I'm cold" muttered Louis, feeling his heart freezing with the rejection "Are you going to sleep?" he asked hoping that he sounded nonchalant, but knowing he was failing miserably.

"You feel cold" Harry frowned and began to rub his hands up and down Louis' bare arms "Come warm up with me and tell me what's bothering you" he finally decided, ushering him towards his big bed and holding the cover up for Louis to climb in "Do you feel sick?" he asked holding his large hand to Louis' forehead, and Louis couldn't help but feel touched at how caring and considerate Harry was being.  He almost didn't want to ask, out of sheer politeness.

"I thought you wanted to sleep in my bed tonight" he muttered, not able to hold Harry's gaze with the embarrassment "You said...well...I probably got it wrong...I'll just go..."

He made to get out of bed, but was stopped by two longer arms holding him back.

"Did I read something wrong?" asked Harry regretfully "I thought you were really tired, so was going to leave you on your own to sleep.  That way you wouldn't have me bothering you"

"Bothering me?" Louis asked surprised "You never bother me Hazza, I like falling asleep with you"

Now it was Harry's turn to have his cheeks tinge with pink.

"I might have definitely wanted to keep you up a little longer" he admitted, his cheeky little dimples making an appearance.

Louis shifted around in his arms to face Harry "How did you want to keep me up?" he couldn't help but ask, fully aware that his voice was wavering.

Harry just couldn't keep the smile off of his face any longer "I'll show you" he whispered, gently backing Louis to lay down in the middle of his pillows, arranging himself so that he was crouched fully over Louis' body, one knee pressed against each hip bone, one hand on each side of his face.

"You're so beautiful baby" he breathed out, before ducking his head and going in for a long slow kiss, humming happily into his mouth as Louis readily responded "I just wanted to really take care of you tonight" he trailed off, breaking this kiss and looking deep into Louis' eyes "I know how you've been lacking affection lately" he confessed, looking a little guilty at saying his thoughts aloud "I was hoping you would let me make up for it"

"lacking affection?" Asked Louis dumbly not being able to look anywhere but into Harry's smouldering gaze, before he dipped his head once more to give him a long slow kiss.  He tried to think back, he had only been broken up with Eleanor for about a week by now and considering their very enthusiastic sex life, it wasn't like he had gone without for very long.

"It's not been that long" he told Harry, but it was getting hard to string two thoughts together now that his neck was being gently sucked upon, and moving towards the sensitive little spot below his ear.  The spot, he couldn't help but realise, that Eleanor had never bothered to find.

"Bedroom walls are pretty thin boo" Harry reminded him, blushing a little and pausing just enough to lay down so he was fully crouched around Louis' body, both hands cupping his face "I don't think I've ever heard you being taken proper care of though.  You were too busy taking care of her needs to probably even consider you have needs of your own.  I can make you feel so good babe - the best you have ever felt"

Harry didn't bother waiting for an answer, which was a good thing because Louis felt like he was in no position to be able to say a word.  Every single nerve in his body was solely focusing on Harry.  The way his fingers were lightly stroking his temples, the way his hips were swirling around his crotch, teasing him in the most non threatening way possible.  He could feel Harry's warm breath on his face as he fluttered kisses all over his skin.  His forehead, cheeks, temples, nose, eyelids...never straying away from his mouth for long- turning Louis' cold and rejected heart into liquid gold, dispersing into his blood stream, and flowing around his whole body, warming, relaxing, sedating him.

"The best thing about us being so close" Harry was telling him, as he began to kiss down the column of his neck, adjusting his own body to sink his mouth further down Louis' chest "Is that I can pretty much guess what you would really like someone to do to you, without you having to tell me"

He let his fingers drop, bringing them to his lips where he tantalisingly sucked on two of them for a few seconds, never loosing eye contact with his now warm and pliant little Louis before taking his moist finger tips and circling his right nipple, carefully teasing the bud by pinching it, lowering his mouth to first softly blow on the damp skin, seeding small waves of pleasure coursing through his veins, making a whine erupt from Louis' mouth as he sucked it hard into his mouth, lapping at it with his tongue, turning whines into moans as his other hand began to tease his second nipple.

Louis had never been in a position of such euphoria.  Harry hasn't even vaguely touched his cock and he knew without even looking that it had never been this hard or leaking so much this early before.  In fact, he had never received so much foreplay, come to think of it, he never usually received any.  It was all about warming his girlfriend up, and to be honest, they would have been done by now, and although he would have shot his load, he would be trying to sleep, still feeling a little frustrated and wishing he could sneak out for a quick wank!

"Feel good baby?"

Louis could just mister enough strength to nod his head, feeling his back arch slightly off the bed as Harry trailed his tongue down to his stomach, pausing to suck now and again on his tender skin, paying attention to areas he'd never even thought of, his waist, his hip bones, the crook of his elbow.

"Can I go lower baby?" Harry asked gently, fingers dipping slightly under his waist band, but not going any further without permission. 

Louis was torn between what his body wanted and what his mind thought was right.

His body was craving Harry to go further, his skin needing the touch of lips and hands like his brain and lungs needed oxygen, but his brain was terrified, terrified that if Harry was to go any further, then how much longer would their friendship be able to last?  

He could feel himself beginning to panic, brow furrowing, breathing becoming laboured, Harry was suddenly widening his green eyes in confusion, hurriedly sliding off the panicking boy who was starting to feel lightheaded and weak, pulling him hurriedly into sitting position and forcing his head between his legs, rubbing comforting circles on his bare back.

"Shit! I'm so sorry baby" Harry was saying "I was going way to fast for you, Im so sorry for rushing you" 

Louis felt kisses pressed against his temple.

"I don't think I can do this anymore Harry" he gasped into his thighs "I can't be your boyfriend.  There's too much at stake here!"

Harrys hand didn't stop soothing him, but it did hesitate.

"Can you look at me Lou?" He asked gently, and Louis nodded, somewhat relieved that Harry was calling him by his old mate name instead of baby.  Even though that was what he was, Hazza's baby.

"Come here" Harry beckoned and held out his arms for Louis to crawl into, sitting on Harry's lap sideways "Tell me what you are scared about, I know you're scared, but I don't know why"

"what if this ruins us?" Louis asked directly "what happens to us when we stop this and go back to just being friends after all the kisses and the touches?  Can we ever go back once we go there?"

Harry frowned, thought for a few moments carefully before replying.

"I understand why you are nervous" he stated "I was nervous too before you told me why you wanted to do it, and I agreed with you.  But then I really thought about it, and the only reason I agreed to try this was because I am so certain about us.  I know, hand on my heart, that I could fall in love tomorrow with someone else, and be one hundred per cent completely devoted to them, and love them and get to know each and everything about them because they would mean the whole world to me..."

"Way to comfort me Hazza" grumbled Louis interrupting him with a glare

"...but even the most perfect person in the world for me, I would never know them, or trust them, possibly even love them half as much as I love you"

Louis' head shot up, staring at Harry in upmost astonishment.

"I'm not in love with you Lou"  Harry assured him, a little smile playing on the corners of his mouth as he watched Louis visibly relax "But I do love you.  And I don't like the girls you date" he continued with a disapproving look "You choose girls who are too self involved, and don't let you be you.  I love you best when you are just being you, and that's all you are when you're with me, and that...well that makes me so happy...that you trust me enough to be you only when you're with me"

"You know that only makes sense to you right?"

Harry smirked, but it was only a flash of one, and once again his face was serious and pleading once more "What I'm trying to say, is we're unbreakable" he tried to summarise "You will always be my Lou and I will always be your Hazza.  I just jumped at the chance to show you, for just a few weeks of your life, how you should be treated by someone who is lucky enough to be called yours.  Please don't quit this now baby" he coaxed, entwining their fingers and kissing each knuckle "Please let me love you like you should be loved"

"And at the end of this, you can just walk away and pretend it never happened?" asked Louis seriously  _"Because I don't think I can"_ he added silently to himself

"I would never do you the dishonour of pretending it didn't happen" Harry confirmed "But I do hope that if I play my part right, then it might make you choose your next girlfriend a little more carefully and choose someone who really deserves you"

 _"But what if I fall in love with you?"_ Louis wanted to scream at him  _"What happens if I fall in love with you and the time elapses and all I'm left with is the memories of what could have been?"_

"Please baby?" Harry was asking, pleading with him "Please let me love you"

"You do realise that being with just me for this amount of time means you're going to have to switch off that wandering eye of yours?" Louis asked jokingly as he straddled Harry's hips, he grinned at Harry, hoping for a grin back to assure him that everything was going to be alright between them.

"Why would I be looking at anyone else, when I could be looking at you?"  Harry answered simply, leaning back against his pillows, carding his fingers through Louis' hair "Let me love you Lou" he repeated.

It was that moment that Louis lost his head and dived head first down the rabbit hole.  Harry was right, he would never love anyone as much as he loved his Hazza, they only had thirty eight days left, and he didn't want to loose a second, no matter what the consequences turned out to be "Love me" he breathed harshly as he lunged for his boyfriends mouth, assaulting Harry's tongue with his own, letting Harry roll him onto his back, encompassing him with the whole of his lanky, gorgeous, body, feeding his heart with the much needed oxygen, letting himself go and letting himself be loved.  Just like his Harry wanted.


	7. Chapter 7

 

"Finally!" announced Niall in exasperation, pushing past a bemused and sleepy Harry in exasperation "We've been knocking for ages!"

"You knocked twice" Zayn pointed out dryly, nodding in thanks, as Harry stepped back to invite him in "Morning Haz, nice shirt"

Harry looked down bleary eyed, noticing for the first time that the t-shirt he had haphazardly thrown on minutes before, was indeed inside out.

"Thanks mate" he drawled, dimples smiling for him.

"Where's Lou?" Demanded Niall, having been through both the kitchen and living room with no result "We have important things to discuss!"

Harry frowned and clapped a large hand over the blondes loud mouth "Keep it down a bit will ya, he's sleeping" he hissed, ushering both Niall and Zayn into the living room.  Zayn immediately sprawled out on their settee, but Niall scrambled out of Harry's grip and went careering down the hall to Louis' bedroom.

"You'd better be decent in there!" He called out as a warning before flinging the door wide open.

Harry who had gone stumbling after him, his legs still unable to properly function, stopped sharply in front of his own bedroom door as Niall slowly reappeared, a slow mischevious expression painted on his face.

"That's weird" he said to both Harry and Zayn, who had come out to see what was happening "Louis' asleep, but he's not in his bed! I wonder where he could be?" He raised his eyebrows comically and looked pointedly at how Harry's stance in front of his bedroom door was resembling a bouncer at a private club.

"Tell me Mr Styles" Niall went on, inching forward "What did you think of Louis' underwear?"

"erm?" Harry glanced between Zayn who was rolling his eyes and leaning against the door frame and Niall who was grinning eccstatically "why would I have checked out Louis' pants?"

"So you just went straight for his ass" Niall nodded approvingly and leant past Harry to give the door a loud knock.

"What is he on about?" Harry asked Zayn "Is that code for something?"

"He wants to know if you fucked Lou last night" Zayn sounded unimpressed as Niall snorted with laughter, pushing an astounded Harry to the side and charging into his bedroom.

"Wake up!" Niall shouted joverly, not wasting time in grabbing the thick covers that were obviously hiding the small boy and pulling them off the bed.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief that he hoped only he had heard.

"For fucks sake Niall! I'm trying to sleep" Louis whined, rubbing his eyes with one hand and grabbing for the duvet with the other.

"Oh" was all Niall said, dumping the covers on the ground and looking incredibly disappointed "You're dressed"

Louis sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, looking around blankly.  He was wearing a large white t-shirt and a pair of plaid pajamma trousers - which Harry knew he hadn't been wearing when he'd got up to answer the door.

"Hey Hazza" he greeted "Sorry, that film must have been shit for me to fall asleep here"

"That's the only reason you're here?" Niall pouted "Well that's my day ruined!"

"He'll get over it" Zayn assured both Harry and a very confused Louis - or a very confused Louis who was just a very convincing actor "How was your date?" He finally asked.

"Pretty damn good" grinned Louis, waking up somewhat "He was a perfect gentleman!"

Niall perked up "Oh really?  And how was that?"

He was answered by the pillow Louis threw hitting him square in the face.

"I need to eat" he stated, standing up abruptly "Niall go cook me food" and grabbed hold of his arm, shoving him out of the door.

"But this is your flat!" Niall protested dragging his heels.

"Can't take him anywhere" Zayn shrugged at Harry who was trying not to laugh as Louis began to wrestle with Niall, shoving him towards the kitchen.

"Go be quiet.  I'll cook" Harry finally said tiredly.  This was not the morning he had in mind.

Leaving the other three to chat (or take part in an interrogation) in the living room, Harry pottered into the kitchen, putting the kettle on to boil and trying hard not to think about what happened after he'd calmed louis down last night.  

Harry had felt for a few minutes that his world was going to implode as Louis had panicked, telling him that it wouldn't work. That they might ruin their friendship, if Harry had gone any further than he had already.  The moment he had begun to see Louis turning pale, his breathing shallow which led him to having those words coming out of his mouth, Harry felt as though he had been drenched from head to toe in freezing cold water and a buzzing filled his ears.

Louis couldn't change his mind, not now.

There was only one thing he could do, speak from his heart, and hope his baby would hear him, holding him close, saying everything he felt to keep whatever this was going.

Harry couldn't pin point the exact words he had uttered, but relief cloaked him as an expression of clarity washed over Louis face, and he frantically kissed him, begging him to love him.  Which is all Harry had ever really asked.

It hadn't been long before Louis was once again squirming with pleasure beneath him as Harry physically worshipped ever inch of his body that he was allowed to touch, until the words choked out of the boys mouth were incoherent and his eyes were rolling to the back of his head.

Harry quickly slid off his beautiful body, flipped him onto his side, pulling his back firmly back against his chest, wondering if Louis could feel how painfully hard his own cock was pressed against his ass cheeks.  He knew exactly what he wanted to do, he wanted to hold him tightly and kiss him as Louis wanked himself off, just like he had done the night before.

Louis whimpered desperately as Harry kissed the back of his neck, the need to mark him up prominently in his mind.  He was completely unprepared for Louis to grab hold of his wrist, dragging his hand down towards his crotch, pressing his hand down hard against the slightly damp fabric, thrusting into it with a loud, strangled moan.

"Please Harry" he whined, grinding his bum backwards and making Harry gasp into his ear with longing.

Hesitantly, Harry let Louis control his hand, rubbing up, down and against him, almost crying with frustration from not getting the right amount of friction he desperately needed.

"Harry...I...need...more" Louis panted.

It was the permission that Harry had been waiting for. He stuck his thumbs under the waist band of Louis' boxers and tugged, sliding them roughly down his thighs. Fingers grasping the thick, pulsing length that sprang out.

Feeling Louis in this way, was everything he'd imagined it would be, skin soft as silk, generously already slick with the amount of pre come he'd already helped produce and he couldn't get over the size of him.  He felt so thick and long, even in his huge hands.  

Harry wanted to go slow, he wanted to stretch this out, make more incoherent noises whimper out of Louis' delicious mouth, make him beg for more, but he couldn't.  He was aching for his own release as much as Louis was.  

Without letting go of Louis, Harry desperately fumbled with his own underwear, yanking them down, sinking his teeth into the soft skin of Louis neck as grid own cock came into contact with the bare skin of Louis perfect shapely ass, biting harshly as he felt Louis grind desperately against it as he bucked his hips messily into his clenched palm.

He knew his hand was a blur as he worked louis up, thanking the stars for his long fingers that were more than long enough to caress Louis's balls at the same time, making Louis gurgle and wither in his arms, hearing his own grunts of appreciation, their noises of absolute ecstasy combining as they built up to the most erotic climax.

"Harry...I'm so..."

Harry didn't need Louis to tell him he was close.  He could feel it in how he had started to shake uncontrollably in his arms, sloppily thrusting backwards as he tried to get Harry off.

It took three more flicks of his wrist before a high pitched keening noise erupted from Louis' lips, throwing his head back on to Harry's shoulder, feeling a distinct wetness on his back where Harry had coated his tanned skin with white, covering Harry's hand with his own.

Feeling more than slightly dazed, Harry was only just aware of Louis twisting around in his arms, sleepily searching for his lips for one last, slow, slightly emotional kiss before they both blissfully passed out, curled up in each other, identical contented smiles on their faces. 

 

"I thought you were getting me breakfast!"

Louis' voice cut into Harry's thoughts as he wandered into the kitchen looking for Harry.

"you've been ages"

"sorry baby" Harry replied snapping out of his thoughts "I was...never mind...what would you like? "

Louis frowned "what's wrong?" He asked carefully "you look irate"

"I'm fine" Harry tried to reassure him, but he couldn't find the strength to smile.

Louis ignored his words, choosing to go straight in and snuggle into Harry's chest.

"Talk to me" he murmured stroking Harry's broad shoulders "I know you too well to believe that lie"

"I wanted to have you to myself this morning" Harry sounded slightly dejected and very disappointed "I had it all planned out"

Louis couldn't help but smile.  Harry looked so cute when he pouted.  

"Come sit with me" Louis said taking Harry's hand in his and coaxing him away from the counter "Im really tired and I need you to shield me from Niall's questions - they just keep coming!" 

 

 

Zayn was quietly sketching in the corner of the room.  Niall didn't know yet, but it was his tousled head he was drawing.  Sitting like a pixie in the middle of the floor, singing to himself as he worked on lyrics for his music project.

Harry and Louis had reappeared from the kitchen, Louis wearing a sleepy little smile and Harry...looking uncharacteristically subdued.

Zayn pretended not to, but snuck looks at them over the top of his sketch book.  Harry sat down first,looking every bit of rigid and irritable as he ever had.  His lips were huffed into an obvious pout and he was twitching his hands in his lap.  Louis sat down besides him after looking for the remote which made Harry stop fidgeting.  When Louis rested his cheek against Harry's shoulder, he visibly relaxed, slouching down further into the cushions and stretching out his long legs.  Finally Harry smiled, but it was only because Louis had climbed onto his lap and pulled Harry's arms around him.

That made Zayn cock his head to the side and frown.  Something was different between the two of them.  Granted to the casual observer, nothing seemed to be amiss.  But Zayn knew Harry, Louis and their little ways, and subtle things were different.  

Louis wasn't hogging the remote, but had handed it straight to Harry.  It was Louis sitting in Harry's lap, not the other way around.  

"Lets go out" suddenly exclaimed Niall who was getting bored "Go get some clothes on!" 

"I'm gonna stay in" Harry said a little too quickly for Zayn's liking.

Louis who had just opened his mouth and gone to stand up, quickly closed it and sank back against Harry's chest.

" _interesting_ " Zayn thought to himself " _Their dynamic has altered_ "

"I'll stay too" Louis, only confirming his thoughts.

"Don't you want to go out?" Harry asked, a little too politely "Don't feel like you can't go because I'm not"

But Zayn noticed how he'd gripped Louis a little tighter to him,  showing exactly what he was thinking what his words did not express.

Louis looked torn.  As though he really wanted to go, but didn't want to upset Harry by wanting to.  

Since when did Louis follow Harry around like a faithful pet? That was what Harry did.

Zayn's eyes widened with curiosity.  Was this a relationship thing?  It couldn't be, they had only been in a "relationship" for two days.  Why did it feel like they had both had a personality transplant?

"Lou take Niall out would ya?" Zayn asked suddenly "I need to concentrate and I can't do it with him bouncing around" he looked towards the place where he could feel eyes on him, and it was straight at Harry who glowering, in his direction

"Mind if I stick around for a bit mate" he asked smoothly, knowing that it was the last thing Harry wanted, but finding it more than necessary.

Harry shrugged and a bit reluctantly, he let go of Louis to relax his hands behind his head.

Louis turned to Harry - was he looking for reassurance?

Harry smiled at him - strained, but a smile - and nodded "Go get changed" he told the smaller boy, who grinned, gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and scampered off to his bedroom.  Zayn remembered to note the way Harry's eyes had contently closed during the brief contact.

 

Half an hour later, Louis was Niall were bouncing put of the front doors, promising they would text them so they could meet up later.

Harry returned to the living room "I'm going back to bed" he told Zayn, who was still sat comfortably in the same chair "hang out as long as you want"

"Harry wait!" Zayn called to him as the boy turned to leave "we need to talk about this"

"talk about what?" 

"You tell me" Zayn replied "come on Haz, Louis' gone.  Tell me what's on your mind"

"why don't you just go home" Harry sighed and leant his face in his arm that was leaning on the door frame, he clearly was not in the mood to talk "you've already ruined my morning!"

He stood there, glaring, almost daring Zayn to say something else.  But he didn't.  Instead Zayn just shrugged and returned to his sketch pad silently, listening to Harry stomp back to his bedroom and wondering how bad an idea this whole thing actually was.

 

 

"So, last night then?" Niall asked casually as he tucked into his plate of pancakes "what went down?"

Louis sighed.  Niall was just not going to let this go.

"We had dinner and then we saw a film" he told Niall for what felt like the hundredth time "We had fun.  We always have fun when we hang out"

"But this was a date" persisted _Larry's_ number one fan "your first date!  I want details! Did he kiss you? Did you kiss him?  Did you feel anything other than friendship?"

Louis glared at him, hoping to hide the blush that was heating his cheeks.  

There was no way he was going to tell Niall about how he'd got all needy, and forced Harry into jerking him off, because he'd freaked out over his feelings about getting physical with his best friend.

He idly wondered if Harry had planned what had happened.  

Sure, he had left him alone in bed.  But the candles and music in his room?  That wasn't something Harry did on a regular basis.  Was this one of his famous moves?  Plant the seed in his mind that something was going to happen, but leave Louis to come to him, to make sure he actually wanted it?

Was Harry that sneaky? Or was he really just reading too much into it?

"You're too quiet" observed Niall "If there was nothing to tell, you would be yaking about something random.  You're just sitting there.  And you are letting me eat your good" he pointed out as proof, grabbing a second sausage of his plate.

"We are just friends Ni" Louis persisted, wishing he was alone so he could properly process his thoughts "Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea" he mused aloud, chewing more on his fork than on the food in front of him.

"Maybe you are still not in the right frame of mind" suggested Niall, optimistic as ever "Maybe..."

Whatever Niall was about to say was forgotten as Eleanor approached them, clutching a takeaway cup of coffee in her hand.  She didn't bother to greet either of them, or even smile.

"We need to talk" she said abruptly to Louis "now!"

Louis muttered a curse under his breath, before putting on his most blank expression.  He really did not need a confrontation of this nature, right now.

"What about?" He asked flatly "I thought you had said everything when you broke up with me?"

"Things change" she said crisply, sitting down without being invited "You have explaining to do"

"He doesn't have to tell you anything" piped up Niall glaring at the girl who had rudely interrupted his private, intimate chat with one of his best friends "Get lost"

"You still here?" Eleanor snapped "I think there's some food still in this place that hasn't been eaten!"

Niall looked angry and then hurt.  He hated being dressed down in public or made fun of. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he turned to Louis.

"you're on your own mate" he told him, getting to his feet "Call me when you've gotten rid of her won't you"

"You had no right to do that" Louis snapped, watching as Niall strode outside and sat down on a nearby wall, furiously jabbing at his phone and no doubt texting either Liam or Zayn to complain about his ex girlfriends attitude.

"When my ex boyfriend comes out on Facebook and is going out with the _guy_ who split us up, I have every right to say whatever the hell I like" spat Eleanor "What the fuck was that little stunt about?"

"Little stunt?" Louis spat back "At least I'm not threatened by your friendships - some of which were decidedly dodgy from what I remember you posting on Instagram!"

"You are not _gay_!" 

Eleanor looked furious as she gripped the edge of the table and leant towards Louis, red in the face from the anger that was starting to erupt from something that had obviously been bubbling inside her ever since she'd seen his new "Relationship Status".

"Don't you think it's funny that I accuse you of caring more about Harry than me, and all of a sudden you two are _together!_   Either I was right and you two are incredibly screwed up and actually do have some kind of vile attraction to each other, or you're just trying to piss me off!  Because you seem to have forgotten how straight you were when you were having sex with _me_!"

"Screwed up?" Louis repeated.  He could feel his own anger coursing through him like poison.

"Screwed up" Eleanor confirmed, taking a big gulp of her drink "I told you to find better friends.  Friends that don't want to suck you off and make a play for you in front of your girlfriend!  When are you going to see that Harry is a disgusting little leech?  He's probably riddled with disease from all those girls he's fucked" she rocked back in her chair, and Louis strongly resisted the urge to push her, so that she would collide her fat head to the floor.

"Harry is not a leech or disgusting" he growled "He is the kindest, most considerate man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  And he treats me a damn lot better than you ever did!"

"He is a whore though" Eleanor pointed out, a smirk playing on her mouth, which Louis once thought was so pretty and sweet.  She took a brief look around the coffee shop they were in "I can't see a single girl in here who he hasn't stuck his penis in.  Is it the same for the guys too?  I Wonder how much dick he's had in that filthy mouth?" she asked, pretending to widen her eyes with surprise "Tell me baby" she purred, reaching forward to stroke Louis' forearm with her finger "Has he stuck it in you yet?  Were you cheating on me the whole time?  You did spend an awful amount of time in bed together!"

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Louis managed to bite out, his whole face contorted with unbridled anger and revulsion.  Firstly because if this girl was a guy, he would have punched him in the face for what she had said about his Harry, but secondly, how dare she call him baby.  He wasn't her baby.  He was Harry's!

"Awww, is baby jealous?" sniggered Eleanor cruelly "Did my little Lou bear think that he was the only little boy in Harry's life?  It's a good thing you're not a girl" she added, clearly not knowing when to shut up, or was she still intent on twisting that knife in Louis' heart a little further "You would have been one of hundreds to pass through his bedsheets!  I'm friends with Taylor - she's told me things that would make your toes curl"

"Taylor never slept with Harry" Louis spat, all thoughts of telling this horrible girl to get the fuck out of his face vanishing as he heard the latest claim.

Eleanor laughed.  A little too hard, and a little too sarcastically.  

"Is that what he told you?" she asked sweetly "Because she told me that they spent a whole day and night together without leaving his bedroom.  He was so hard for her" she got to her feet "Look at you all jealous" she put a hand on his shoulder and bent down to kiss him softly on the cheek "You know Louis, I'm only saying this because I care for you" she said fondly, giggling as Louis wiped the cheek where she had just kissed him "But Harry Styles is a dirty little lying slut, and if you don't believe me, check out #HarryStyles on Instagram"

Louis was doing all he could to stay sitting down and not fly into a rage.  His legs were twisted up in a knot under the table, his fingers were gripping his chair so tightly that his knuckles had turned completely white and his teeth were clenched so hard together that his jaw ached.  But nothing could hide the furious anger that was blazing from his eyes or radiated from his red hot skin.

"Get the fuck out of my face!" his words hissed slowly out between his teeth, sounding hideously like the venomous snake he felt like, one that was coiled and ready to strike at any moment.

"With pleasure" Eleanor told him, her expression haughty and sticking her nose high in the air, letting her smug smile speak volumes of her triumph, she sashayed across the shop and through the door.  Completely and delightedly aware of the deviation she had left in her wake.  Just like she had planned.

 

 

 "Louis?"

Louis looked up from where he had been staring at the table, the echo of Eleanor's words taunting him, shouting and laughing in his face.  He could still feel the small ring of her lips on his cheek.  It felt like burning acid.

"Liam?"

Liam's sturdy frame came into view out the corner of his eye, crouching down next to him. One fleetingly glance at him, showed Louis' red, watery eyes before looking back at the table.

"Are you ok Lou?" Liam's voice was gentle, calming "Niall called me" he explained "Are you ready to go?"

Louis nodded distractedly and was helped to his feet by Liam, his legs numb from where he had tightly tangled them, and he let himself be led out of the shop and down the path.

"Where do you want to go?" Liam asked, soothing his troubled mind "Home?"

Home.  Louis wanted to go home.  Harry was at home, and all he wanted to do was see Harry.  He wanted to cuddle into Harry's big strong arms, have his hair stroked and his tears kissed away, as they snuggled together under the thick duvet of Harry's huge bed, locking out the world.  He wanted to hear Harry reassure him, tell him that it was going to be alright.  Tell him that he loved him.  He wanted to feel loved and safe.  He wanted to be with Harry.

But if he saw Harry now, then he would have to explain why he was upset.  He could never lie to Harry - they were too close, they knew each other too well.  Louis didn't want to repeat any of the vile words to him.  He didn't want to see the hurt and devastation that would reflect in those compassionate jade eyes.  

The only place he wanted to go - home - wasn't an option.

So where now?  He wanted to go somewhere where he could think, where he could over analyse and argue with someone about what he was feeling.  He wanted to drink and let his tongue go loose so he could speak his mind.

"Niall?" he asked weakly "I think I need to talk about this"

Niall who had been quietly following the pair, punched his fist into the air with delight.  Trying to make light of the situation.

"Good lad!" he announced enthusiastically, beginning to drag both Louis and Liam in the direction of the flat he shared with Zayn "I've got plenty of alcohol" he assured Louis, reading his mind as always.

"You can't tell Harry about this" Louis stated as they walked "I don't want you to breath a word of this to anyone"

"Not a soul mate" Niall promised, and Liam nodded in agreement.  They both knew Harry very well, and although he was sensitive and placid a great deal of the time, Harry was incredibly protective when it came to the people he cared about.  And there was no one that he cared for more than his Louis.  The quieter this was kept, the safer it was for everyone involved.

 

But unfortunately two promises were not enough.

Harry was lying in bed when he received the text message.  He frowned at the name of the sender, quickly tapping into the message.

 **Eleanor Calder:** Game on!

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has subscribed and left kudos! It's really exciting for me and I really appreciate it. :):):):):)

 

 

"Feel better?" Niall asked Louis handing him another beer bottle.  They had all taken to Niall and Zayn's balcony, basking in the early afternoon sun and casually watching the world pass them by.

"Yeah" Louis confirmed, talking a long smooth gulp "I was never upset.  Just angry that she of all people would talk about Hazza like that"

"what did she say?" Asked Liam, "you looked really angry mate"

"oh, you know, am I gay? Harry's a disease ridden whore" Louis spat, his eyes flashing with refreshed anger "Total bullshit of course.  Harry doesn't whore himself about.  He's just had a lot of female friends.  Who wouldn't want to be friends with him?  He's freaking adorable!  And..." he added with enhanced passion "He's incredibly respectful towards the girls he had been with.  I'm his best mate and he's never even mentioned to me about any girl he's ever been with! That speaks for itself!"

"Calm down Lou-gee" Liam soothed, putting a calming hand on his shoulder "We all know Harry is nothing like that.  Don't let her get to you"

Louis groaned "I gave her the reaction she wanted" he realised feeling stupid "She only said those things to make me mad"

"Enough talk about her!" Niall exclaimed "I want to talk about you and Harry!  I know you are hiding something, and do you know how I know?" He winked at Liam, looking delighted.

"I would love to know" Louis replied dryly and took another gulp 

"That big ass, mother fucker of a hickey you've got on the back of your neck!" Niall almost shouted out with glee "Didnt get there on its own!"

"Don't tell fibs" Louis managed to say, hoping it was a big lie.  He did remember Harry paying an awful lot of attention to his neck when they were....getting physical last night. But he wasn't just going to tell them that without due cause and evidence.

Liam pushed his head forward, and pulled at the neck of his t-shirt until he heard a shutter click.

"There!" Liam presented him with his phone "One freshly made hickey by the looks of it"

Louis eyed the evidence warily.

"Alright" he muttered "It might have been a really successful date...things might have..got out of hand"

"So you are attracted to him then?" Liam asked carefully "How far did you go"

"Further than friends would" Louis admitted "This whole forty days thing has it's perks"

"Did we interrupt you this morning?" Niall suddenly asked, hopping in his chair "Is that why Harry was so off?"

"We were sleeping" Louis reminded him "So yes, you did interrupt that"

"Do you think of Harry differently today?" Asked Liam thoughtfully, reading a text he'd gotten from Zayn.

Louis took a deep breath.  Once he said these things, he couldn't take them back.  But Liam and Niall were his best friends.  If he couldn't confide in them, he thought he might go crazy keeping his thoughts inside.

"Yeah" he nodded slowly, but quite determined "I don't just think of him as my best friend anymore.  I think we could be a lot closer...I think I want to be a lot closer to him.  I think I want to seriously find out where this could go"

Louis couldn't read either of his friends faces.  Both were staring at him blankly, almost like he hadn't spoken.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked finally, feeling a bit nervous and drinking some more, eying his friends over the neck of his bottle "I thought this was what you wanted?"

"is it what you want?" asked Liam, looking like he was having trouble putting a sentence together, but gave Louis an encouraging smile, hoping he would continue.

"I already love Harry" Louis voiced, his tone a little unsteady "But maybe I realised last night that I could fall in love with him too"

A flicker of what looked like triumph, flitted across Niall's face, but Louis could be mistaken.

"Are you gay Lou?" he asked bluntly, and seeing Louis had finished another bottle of beer, took it from him, replacing it with a fresh one.

"Does it matter?" Asked Louis thoughtfully, his gaze looking far away into the sky at nothing in particular bar the image of his own words scrawled across the horizon

"Love is love at the end of the day" he smiled, warmly, blissfully

"I could find a million people that I like, but there will only ever be one Harry.  I love him more than anyone I have ever known" he stretched, shaking his head, bringing himself back down to Earth.

"I don't know" he admitted and gave a little smirk "Lets just say that him being a guy doesn't put me off him.  In the moment, I didn't even think about it"

Liam was really examining his face "Love is love" he repeated "That sounds like something Harry would say"

Louis' face creased up into a huge adoring smile at the mention of Harry's name "It does, doesn't it" he beamed "Well, we always have thought alike"

"Who initiated the first kiss?" Niall wanted to know feeling more than excited from how this conversation was going.

Louis frowned at Niall, opening and shutting his mouth slightly, pondering on the question.

"I guess I did" Louis sounded surprised as he thought back "It's been me every single time"

 

Louis found it so hard to actually believe he hadn't considered this before.  Every single kiss he had shared with Harry had started by Louis - except the one in front of the boys, which he watched frequently thanks to Niall sending him the video.

"Explain?" asked Niall, almost being able to see cogs whirring through Louis' forehead.

"Harry didn't want to do this"  Louis told them "After the Skype chat...remember when he stormed off.  I told him I wanted to do this thing" he started speaking hurriedly, worried that he would lose momentum if he paused even for a second "I told him it was because I didn't want to regret not doing it, and because..."

He closed his eyes before continuing.  "And because I wanted the excuse to kiss him more.  I kissed him to convince him to do this, it was me went to his room last night...fuck...I was even the one who told Harry to show me what he meant when he was upset about Kendall!"

Realisation was hitting him, blow after blow to the face.  

"Was it you who also wanted to go further?" Niall couldn't help but ask "Do you want something stronger than beer mate?" eying the collection of brown bottles by the leg of Louis' chair.

"Please" Louis nodded gratefully, internally cringing as he heard himself uttering that word to a breathless Harry as he desperately rubbed the boys hand against his crotch.  He accepted Niall's offering of a glass of strong smelling liquid thankfully.

"That was Harry" he reported, screwing up his face at the potency of what he'd just swallowed "Harry took it further"

"Not that you have to go into exact detail" Liam hastened to put across "But how did you feel about that?"

Usually, Louis wouldn't dream of going into his much detail about something so private and sensitive.  But, these weren't just anyone.  These were not only his boys, but also the people who had set this whole mind fucking situation up.  If they heard something they didn't want to, then they shouldn't have suggested it in the first place.

"I wanted it" he admitted, not even embarrassed "I liked how Harry took over and told me exactly what he wanted.  He doesn't normally do that" smiling fondly at the memory and feeling a warm glow from within, which wasn't just coming from whatever he'd just drank "I want more of it" he giggled, starting to get a bit tipsy "I love seeing his face when he comes.  I want to see that again!"

He looked between Liam and Niall, suddenly bewildered by his own observation and crudeness.

"why don't you look surprised?" He demanded taking another swig and instantly screwing up his face.

"You want to go further than you have already?" asked Liam, sounding a little awkward at the intimacy of Louis' words.

"Well yeah" there was no stopping Louis' mouth now "I mean, don't get me wrong, it was as hot as hell seeing him jerk off, and the things he can do with his tongue are just....."

"That's quite enough!" Liam exclaimed, horrified, clutching his hands to his ears "That is so much more than I need to know!"

"No!  Keep going!" Niall persisted, wondering if giving Louis another strong cocktail would be a good idea "Get as graphic as you like Tommo! I'm all ears!"

"Don't encourage him!" Liam pleaded to Niall "My brain is starting to bleed from the images"

Niall rolled his eyes.

"Ok, let me summarise" he snapped his fingers in front of a dazed, now mostly drunk Louis to get his attention "You started this?"

"Yes" Louis slurred, dragging out the 's'

"You want to continue this?"

"Yes" 

"Because you are physically attracted to Harry"

Louis nodded enthusiastically and took Niall's hands to hold in his "You should see him naked Ni" he told him seriously "His body is the work of the gods.  He is hiding the most humungous...."

"Whoah!!!" Liam bellowed sticking his fingers in his ears "Way too much information!"

"I should be taping this" Niall complained, thinking of how much fun it would have been to play it back to Louis later "Li, get us another drink"

Liam went off, grumbling under his breath about not signing up to have his head explode.

"Do you want Harry to come over Lou?" Niall asked cheekily reaching for his phone "Do you want to see your gorgeous boyfriend?"

"I want to kiss him again" Louis replied dreamily almost falling out of his chair "I want to stroke his hair and tell him how pretty he is"

Niall laughed, typing out a quick text to Harry.

"I want to suck his huge hard cock until I choke on it!"

"Will you be telling him this when he gets here?"

Louis nodded happily, stealing Niall's remaining dregs in the bottom of his beer bottle.

"I want to tell my boyfriend that I love him"

Niall looked serious "You really do love him don't you" he asked, knowing the answer by the lovesick expression on his best friends face.

"Yes I do" beamed Louis, staring into space "But don't you tell him" he warned, wagging a finger in Niall's face "I want him to be surprised!"

 

Niall laughed as he helped an intoxicated Louis to his feet and pulled him into the living room, where he could crash out on the settee.  He couldn't wait for Harry to come over. 


	9. Chapter 9

 

 

"Why exactly does Louis need a change of clothes?" Harry demanded the instant Liam opened the door to Niall and Zayn's flat.

It was four in the afternoon and after an intense session of writing most of the day after wallowing in his bed for a good couple of hours, Harry had investigated why his phone hadn't alerted him to anything all day.  

It turned out, the sound had been off and he'd missed two texts from Niall.

 

02:16pm

Nillar: Sup Haz! Come on over to mine, bring Z if he's still here.  You do not want to miss this! 

 

02:47pm

Nialler: If you haven't left already. Can you bring Louis some new clothes? We're talking hoodie to boxers...explaination later!  Hurry up mate! You're missing all the fun ;)

 

Less than 10 minutes later, here he was.  Knocking on his mates front door, minus Zayn who had left his flat without telling him.

 

Liam beckoned for Harry to follow him, a curious smile on his face.

Immediately, Harry heard hysterical laughter coming from the bathroom and popping his head through the open door, he found both Niall and Louis sat, fully clothed in the bath, splashing water at each other from opposite ends.

"What the?" Harry muttered to Liam who was remarkably still dry even after supervising the two hooligans.

"Drunk" Liam pointed out needlessly "All yours mate" he said cheerfully slapping Harry on the back and escaping to the safety of the living room.

Harry couldn't stop the loving smile stretch all over his face as he watched his Louis who was still completely oblivious to his presence, cackling with laughter and drenching a howling Niall.

"Hazza!" He suddenly exclaimed delightedly, scrambling clumsily to leap out of the bathtub, clothes dripping where they were saturated, his thin t-shirt clinging to his skin, making him look so deliciously disheveled and sexy.

Thanking Niall silently for preventing Louis making an almost fatal leap by pulling him back into sitting position and holding him there.  Harry dropped the bag of clothes onto the hall floor and approached the tub.

Louis' hair was drenched, stuck up in all angles and his fringe was plastered to his forehead.  He looked so gleeful and carefree and simply ecstatic to see his boyfriend, which pleased Harry no end.

"What are you doing baby?" Harry asked fondly, crouching down next to him and leaning over the side to tickle his sides, chuckling as Louis giggled and squirmed.

"I wanted to go swimming" Louis told him, all wide eyed and innocent "But Liam said I was too drunk and might drown, so Niall said I could swim in the bath with him! And we did!" he shoved Niall sideways into the taps, causing the blonde to swear loudly "Get in!" He commanded, slapping his hand into the vacant spot of water next to him, causing a huge splash of water to cascade over Harry's surprised face!

Harry eyed Niall warily "How did he get this plastered this early?" he asked accusingly "Did you give him a special cocktail again?"

"Do you want one?" Niall asked, standing up and wringing out his t-shirt, both looking and sounding the more sober of the pair "Liam cut us off after our third!" he sulked "they were some fucking nice shit.  LIAM!" he suddenly hollered without warning, climbing out onto the tiled floor and skidding out the door.

"Don't touch the stuff mate!" Liam's voice floated through the open door "It smells like battery acid!"

 

Harry turned his full attention to Louis, wondering how this little drunken mess could look so wasted and uncoordinated, and yet so adorable and sweet at the same time.

"How about we get you out, and you come with me, and get dressed into some dry clothes" Harry suggested, sweeping his hand over Louis' hair to get rid of excess water, before quickly towelling off his own face.  

Shaking his head in amusement, he reached out for Louis, who was stretching out his arms for him, making grabby hands and puppy eyes "And then you can have something to eat and drink a lot of water!"

"I already have loads of water!" Louis slurred, high pitched and shrill, and to prove his point, shoved his face below the surface, blowing bubbles made from non sensical laughter.

 

Harry loved drunk Louis.  He loved his special lopsided drunken smile and his lazy spaced out eyes.  He loved how Louis clung to him tightly  as he effortlessly picked him up, not even caring that he was effectively drenching Harry's own clothes in the process.

Carrying him out  into the hall, Harry gripped one hand tightly on Louis' bum, to grab his bag and briefly stop by the airing cupboard to pick out a fresh dry towel, taking him straight into Zayn's bedroom and shutting the door securely behind them, listening to Louis gabble in his ear the entire time.

Sitting him down gently on the side of the bed, he crouched down in front of him, instantly reminded of how he had put Louis to bed after their first date

"Lets get you out of these wet clothes shall we?"

Louis was gazing at him, a soft, heart melting expression etched upon his perfect face.

Harry smiled back grabbing taking the hem of his t-shirt, peeling it upwards and off over his head, tossing it quickly to the side.  Next came the jeans, which were much harder to remove, due to the fact that Louis was too drunk to support his own body weight, unable to lift his hips up off the bed without flailing.

"I love it when you undress me" Louis stated, slurring his words and poking at his face with his finger, knocking Harry backwards making him fall to the floor with a thump, and quickly following so that they were both on the floor, Louis straddling his hips, hotly lunging for Harry's mouth and kissing him hard.  Harry could taste the strong remnants of alcohol on his tongue, and feel the icy wet coldness of Louis' nose against his warm cheek.  

"Baby we need to get you dressed" Harry heard himself weakly protest, but it was so difficult to concentrate on that task when Louis was persistently grinding into his crotch and sucking on his neck, fingers clawing at his hair.

"No clothes" Louis whined, pulling pathetically at Harry's t-shirt "take them off!"

With no effort at all, Harry had got to his feet in one smooth, swift movement Louis clasped in his arms.  Harry couldn't stop staring into his bright eyes and flushed cheeks.

"Fuck I love it when you get rough with me" he stated, wrapping his legs tightly around Harry's torso "gets me so hard!"

Harry groaned, feeling himself hardening considerably, urged on with how Louis was tantalisingly grinding at his hip, fighting the urge to just throw Louis down onto zayn's perfectly made bed, devouring the boy.

"I can take you home baby" he lowered his voice, speaking with his lips against the smaller boys ear, which he knew would get a reaction, only enhancing the suggestion of his words by nipping lightly at Louis' neck with his teeth "we can get naked there"

"want you naked now!" Louis whined struggling in his arms, clasping Harry's cheeks between his palms and attempting to look stern "Do you realise how much you are offending me right now by being decently dressed?"

Outwardly smirking, Harry sat down on the edge of the bed, Louis in his lap and firmly took ahold of his wrists.

"You are so cheeky when you drink Mr Tomlinson, what makes you think I'm going to do exactly what you say?"

Louis' pupils had dilated considerably, clearly enjoying how Harry was restricting him from moving.

"Because you always do what I want" Louis replied cockily.

"So you don't want me to do this then?" asked Harry, raising his eyebrows and keeping eye contact until the last possibly second, dipped his face, instantly sucking one of Louis' nipples past his lips and swirling his tongue around it, knowing that Louis would turn into a little puddle of goo almost instantly.  It brought no end of satisfaction the second he heard Louis moan above him.

"You can definitely keep doing that!" Louis assured him, all traces of bossiness eliminated from his tone "Now, please, please keep doing that now!"

"Don't feel like it" Harry lied, pretending to shrug, removing Louis from his lap and going to retrieve the spare clothes from his bag "You don't feel like getting warm and dry, I don't feel like doing what you want" he frowned down at his uncomfortably damp t-shirt and pulled it off over his head "Aww Lou, you got me all wet" he complained.  He looked up to find Louis rubbing his hair with the towel, and tried to bite back a smile.

"What you doing baby?" he asked teasingly

'Getting dressed like you want me too" Louis answered, without a hint of malice or attitude "I'd do anything you wanted me to" and held out his hands for the folded long shorts, t-shirt and oversized hoodie that Harry was holding.

"Boxers too baby" Harry reminded him, stepping close to him and pinging the waistband that snapped wetly against Louis' hip "Want some help with those"

Louis nodded eagerly, but looked a little disappointed when all Harry did was peel his wet boxers off, quickly flick a towel around his bum to dry him off and pull a new pair on him, but that all changed when Harry grabbed him into his arms, pushing him back onto the bed, not able to just stand and look at that mouth watering body any longer without tasting it.

 

Louis was gasping into his mouth, ranking his finger nails down Harry's back.  They were so wrapped up in each other, the heels of Louis' feet pressing into Harry's bum, Harry's hands gripping Louis' hair so he had better access to his neck.  Neither of them heard the clatter of footsteps outside in the hall, or the click of the door opening.

They did however hear the aghast squark of indignation, followed almost instantly by the door slamming shut.

Both boys on the bed froze, quickly opening their eyes to look guiltily into each others even thought their lips were still attached mid kiss.

It was with great haste that Harry jumped up, stealing one of Zayn's t-shirts to wear and kindly helping Louis get dressed - although in another situation he would have throughly enjoyed watching Louis slowly attempt to get his feet into the legs of his shorts, or get his head stuck when he accidentally tried to put his head through the sleeve of his hoodie instead of the neck.

 

 

Hesitantly with Louis clutching at Harry's hand, hiding behind him.  They left Zayn's room, approaching the living room with caution, red faced and more than a little shy.

All three of their friends were there.  Liam clocked them first and although shaking his head disapprovingly - he did have a little half smile,playing on his lips.  Niall was clutching at his sides - roaring with laughter, almost to the point of crying and Zayn was full on glaring at the pair of them as he sat, arms folded across his chest, having obviously just reported on what he had just seen.

"Before you leave tonight, those sheets need to be changed!" he told them looking thoroughly ruffled and pissed off "You could have used Niall's room for fucks sake...that was my favourite duvet cover!"

"I promise I'll wash them" Harry assured him sitting down on the floor and immediately smiling as Louis sat straight down in his lap

"Washing them will not destroy the images you planted in my mind" Zayn shot back, but there was a flicker of humour in his tone "I could have lived a lot longer before seeing Harry's arse in the air"

"I had jeans on!" Harry defended himself indignantly "It wasn't like I was naked!"

Zayn laughed loudly "And you think those things you paint on yourself daily leave anything to the imagination?  Ugh...I need to bleach my memory!" 

Niall's take on the situation was a little bit different.

"Should have taped it!" he chastised Zayn "I would have paid good money to see the Larry sex tape - let alone the live show!"

"We weren't having sex!" Harry spluttered, sounding high and strangled "It was just a little bit of....well it's none of your business"

Zayn shook his head, and went to get a couple of beers out of the fridge.  He paused in the doorway

"Isn't that my shirt?" he asked looking suspicious.

Harry coughed "Erm..."

"I do not want to know the details" Zayn warned him "I have enough on my mind to deal with right now"

 

"So you did tell him then?" Niall plonked himself down on the floor in front of Harry and Louis, passing the latter a tall glass of something, which Harry hastily removed from his hand.

"Tell me what?" Harry asked sniffing the concoction, before screwing up his nose, meeting Liam's eyes briefly for the "told you it smelt like battery acid" eyebrow arch.

Louis who was greedily sucking on the straw of Niall's drink, shook his head animatedly "Shhhhhhh!!!" he hissed at Niall, shoving his hand over his mouth "You promised you'd let me tell him!"

"Which bit?" asked Niall "You told me lots of things Lou!"

Harry pinched the straw Louis was sucking on, not being able to control the snort as Louis sucked harder and harder, wondering why the glass was still half full but he wasn't getting anything in his mouth.

"Li?" he called across to Liam "Can you get this little one something to eat?  Niall...stop trying to make him drink himself into a coma!"

 

"But he talks when he drinks!" Niall told him, but didn't give Louis another one.

"What were you going to tell me baby?" asked Harry gently, turning his complete attention to his boyfriend "Will I like it?"

"Oh you will absolutely love it mate!" Niall assured him, watching the two closely with eager eyes - wondering if Louis was still enough under the influence to be as graphic as he was earlier.

Louis smiled delightedly at Niall leaning into Harry for a long messy kiss which Harry quickly responded to.

 

"Fuck, I love it when they get off with each other!" Niall cackled as he dutifully filmed them on his phone, capturing perfectly the small detail of Harry flipping him off behind Louis' head.

"Pervert" Zayn commented grouchily, still looking a little hacked off from the exploits going on in his bedroom "Don't they have their own flat they can do that in!"

"Hazza?" Louis leaned away from him, slightly swaying from side to side, feeling the full effects of the additional liquid he'd just consumed, but smiling giddily, playing with Harry's hair.

"Yes baby?"

"Want to go bed" Louis told him, reaching under Harry's t-shirt, clearly forgetting they had an audience "You said we can get naked and go to bed!"

Harry blushed a deep red "Eat up you" he muttered, trying not to meet Zayn's eyes as he approached, holding a plate of toast and waving it under Louis' nose.  

"Can't take him anywhere" Harry told Zayn slyly, only half looking at him for being too preoccupied with what the boy in his lap was up to - munching the toast and making faces at Niall.  

Zayn grinned and winked at him just as he went to find a film for them to watch.

 

"Is anyone going to tell me how this happened?" asked Harry, stroking his boyfriends hair gently and looking around at his friends suspiciously "Why is my Lou passed out at..." he checked his watch "seven o clock?"

"He's just out of practice" Niall scoffed, thinking of how little they had actually consumed by their usual standards "And I ate his lunch"

Harry didn't say anything, but he looked worried as he stroked Louis' sleeping face "it's not like him to have drinking binges" he continued "Did something happen that I don't know about?  Is he ok?"

"Harry?"

Liam crossed the room and sat down next to him, leaning back against the same wall and smiling down at Louis, enjoying how Louis' hands were hugging Harry's arm, nose nuzzled in to his shoulder.

"You can stop worrying" he said quietly but firmly "Louis' very happy with you Harry"

Harry looked up, immediately searching his friends face for deception.

"I mean it" Liam promised "So whatever it is you are thinking, stop it"

"Nothing's happened?" Harry persisted, keeping his voice hushed so his words wouldn't penetrate into the sleeping boys brain "You'd tell me right?"

"Course we would" Zayn assured him, scanning the faces of the other boys around him "Is this to do with what was bothering you this morning?"

"I should get him home"  Harry announced, brushing off Zayn's question "He's either going to be bouncing off the walls later or being disgustingly sick"

"You can both sleep in my room?"  Zayn offered "I'm gonna have to disinfect the place anyway before I sleep there again anyway"

 

Harry pondered, it would be a lot easier to stay put.  But he wanted to be with Louis in his own bed when they woke up, he wanted another chance to wake up right.  

Liam drove them the two streets distance, and surprisingly, it easy to carry Louis up the stairs.  He was smiling in his sleep as Harry tucked in into bed, undressing him so he didn't get too hot in the night, and then snuggled down besides him, knowing it was early, but not wanting to be anywhere else apart from at Louis' side.

"Hazza?" Louis stirred slightly, voice thick with sleep "Hazza, I want to tell you something?"

"What's that baby?" murmured Harry, kissing Louis' forehead gently, stroking his tummy lovingly

"I....I love you Harry"

Harry smiled down at him "I love you too Lou" he replied, watching as Louis struggled to open his eyes.  He looked so comfy and sleepy.  And happy, he realised.  Louis looked really happy.  He felt so lucky to have a best friend like Louis, who wouldn't even hesitate to tell him that he loved him.  

"Is that what Nialler was asking about?" he gently probed

"Nah" Louis made a weird gurgling noise "That was something else"

He rolled onto his back, gazing up at Harry in wonder as thought he was seeing him properly for the first time.

"Kiss me?" he begged, looking suddenly venerable and quite small "Touch me?"

"What do you want baby?" Harry asked softly after pressing his lips to his  "Tell me what you want"

Louis was looking a little bit stressed "I don't know what I want" he admitted "You know what I want, show me what I want?"

"Don't you want to get some sleep?" Harry asked carefully, taking note of his bloodshot eyes and pale face "I thought you would be out for the rest of the night"

Louis just shook his head and tugged Harry closer.

 

The kissing began gently, softly, exploring each others mouths with practiced ease, fingers caressing skin, teasing hair, legs tangling together under the covers.

Louis whimpered and whined as Harry slid on top of him, paying special attention to all the little areas that made him quiver and quake, even forgetting what his name was, loosing every bit of control, completely letting go and letting Harry take over.

"Baby?" Harry was breathless, leaning over Louis, fluttering little kisses up and down his neck "Can I try out something new?"

Louis gulped quietly, but nodded, willing to try anything that kept Harry looking at him with that pretty smile and kept those lips attached to his skin.

"Trust me my little Lou, I am going to make you feel so good" Harry promised, his tone low and gravelly as he shimmied his body down his legs, kissing down his chest and stomach until he reached Louis' waistband.  Only this time, Harry didn't ask permission and Louis didn't freak out.

 

Louis felt lightheaded, dazed as Harry cleared the bed of the main covers, and carefully rid Louis of the one remaining item of clothing he had on.

"So beautiful" he was saying to himself, properly came face to face with Louis' cock for the first time.  Louis' eyes widened with what felt like fear of being so exposed and the need to cover himself up.  Harry was staring at him, straddling his legs, which Louis was painfully aware were much thicker and chunkier than Harry's.

"Fuck Lou, if you could just see how gorgeous you are" Harry told him, his voice saturated with honesty, his eyes dark with lust as he licked his lips, prying Louis' hands away where he'd subconsciously used them to cover up his semi "Let me love you Lou" he murmured, holding one of his hands tightly by intwining their fingers, lowering his body between Louis' wide spread legs, tentatively pressing a small kiss to the tip of his penis, coating his swollen lips with pre come, peeping up at Louis through his thick eyelashes, holding the boys apprehensive gaze as he sucked the tip into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it, humming longingly as he felt Louis, filling up, hardening in his mouth.

Louis gasped out loud, squeezing on Harry's hand, fisting the pillow beneath his head.  It was such a new sensation to him, never having someone attempt to suck him off before.  Harry's mouth was so hot and wet against his skin, making him arch his back fully off the bed, each time he watched Harry hollow his cheeks, and bob his head, up and down, swallowing nearly the whole of Louis' length.

"Harry!" Louis suddenly gasped out, frantically wriggling his hips "Haz, I'm....! he came hard down Harry's throat without being able to give him a proper warning.

"Shit Haz, I'm so sorry" Louis babbled, giving a small tug to the curls he could just manage to reach for Harry was still gently sucking on his cock, cleaning it up before he let it slide out from between his lips with a small 'pop' 

"You are so beautiful baby" Harry couldn't wait to tell him, sliding up the bed, a little too eager to get his Louis back into his arms "You are so beautiful when you let go for me"

"I'm not beautiful" Louis insisted, vision still dotted with white sparks.  He went to reach for Harry again, wondering of he could make Harry feel as good as he'd made hin.

"No need sweetheart" Harry guessed what he was doing and pulled him into their usual sleeping position. "You were making the most sexy little noises that I couldnt stop myself"

Louis smiled tiredly, he could feel himself drifting off in Harry's arms, he loved feeling so safe and so cared about, he felt completely relaxed and sedated.

"I love you" he whispered, closing his eyes, feeling himself being lulled to sleep by Harry's gentle touches on his skin "I really love you Harry"

"I love you too Louis" Harry replied.  But Louis knew that he didnt really understand what he'd just told him.  

"I'm in love with you Harry" Louis tried to say.  

But by the time he had thought it through, he was already fast asleep, and his words, as important as they were, Harry didn't hear.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say another huge thank you for your comments and the overwhelming amount of subscribers and kudos you left me for the last two updates. It was amazing! Thank you so much for reading :):) xxx


	10. Chapter 10

 

 

 

Waking up and feeling like his head had been sat on by en elephant, was not Louis' favourite way to wake up.  

His head ached, the light was way too bright for his eyes and there was a knot of discomfort in his stomach that had nothing to do with his hangover.

Harry was perfect as always, bringing him breakfast, reminding him of which classes he needed to attend- even going to the extent of packing his bag with all the relevant text books he was going to need, sending him off with a long kiss and an even longer hug.

However.

As much as Louis hated to admit it, he was kind of relieved that he would have a bit of time without Harry that day.  

A lot of things had come to light in the past twenty four hours that Louis was adamant that he needed to address, and unfortunately, this was the one time he wasn't able to talk about it with his best friend.  Because the route of all the issues was Harry.

His mind wandered during English, writing little notes in the margin that had nothing to do with the subject, but were instead questions to himself that he wished he had the answers to.

Time?

Louis and Harry had only been pretending to be boyfriends for three days.

Three days!  

And yet he had experienced more of a roller coaster of emotions in those short 72 hours than a whole months worth of a relationship with anyone else.  Even Eleanor, who had by far been his longest relationship to date, spanning a few months.

Was this because Niall had been right all along? They knew each other so well, that dating was never going to be on the cards - was that why things had escalated so quickly?  Because it didn't feel like three days.  It felt as though he and Harry had always been together.

Why was it so physical?

Louis' mind boggled when he thought back upon what him and Harry had got up to during that short time.  If it had been any other friend, Louis wouldn't have even contemplated being cuddly with them. 

Zayn for example.  Louis loved him to death, but the thought of seeing him naked made him physically ill!

Harry on the other hand, made him  want to get some kind of syrup, pour it all over that tight muscular torso and lick it all off!

But only since his friends had put the idea in his head that they could be more than just friends.  Even when Eleanor had complained, whined and bitched openly about his closeness with Harry, Louis had just laughed it off and put it down to her insecurity and jealously.  Now he would have admitted that she was right.

He couldn't imagine now, not having Harry touching him intimately.  He was even craving his lips right there, wishing that he was pulling the collar of his jumper aside so he could nuzzle into his neck, sucking on that sensitive spot below his ear that only Harry had managed to find.  He wanted to worship Harry in the same way. He'd never wanted to worship Eleanor.  He just wanted to go through the motions to make her happy.  It hadn't felt like that at the time - but like everything else - the past was always clearer with hindsight.

Was this love?

Yes.  There was no doubt about it. He was one hundred per cent in love with Harry.  It should have been obvious from the start.

 

But from then on came the tricky questions that he just wasn't able to answer.  The ones causing his stomach to knot and his brain to hurt.

How did Harry really feel about him?

Was Harry just playing his part really well and doing this so that their friends would finally put this topic to bed?

Why was Harry being so physical and hands on with him?  Was it because he was sexually deprived at the moment? Was he using him as practice for another boy he had his eye on?  Where did Harry see this going?

Louis knew he wasn't as beautiful as Harry said he was.  But why would Harry lie to him?

Then there was his problem with jealousy.

Louis had written off everything that Eleanor had cruelly told him as bullshit.  But was there any truth to it?  Behind every rumour there always seemed to be a small true aspect.  Harry and Louis looked like a couple because Louis had been in love with his best friend all along.

And Harry had been dating a lot of girls since he had known Louis.  A lot of them had stayed over...and he had heard all those noises...

Louis felt sick to his stomach as he pulled out his phone and logged onto Instagram.  He hasn't wanted to...he didnt want to...but the hashtag Eleanor had spat at him had been playing on his mind.  What was it?  More bullshit?  Or something he didnt want to see?

Without searching for #Harrystyles, he closed the app.  He didnt need more questions.  His margin was full already.

 

But where was he going to go from here?

It had only been three days.

He would wait.  He would sit and watch and wait for Harry to show him something to prove that this was no longer a game.  

There was still thirty six days left.  Harry had thirty six days to prove to Louis what this really was.

Louis couldn't even think about what would happen if he didn't.

 

The questions about Harry didnt stop playing through his mind throughout the day till the point that they consumed him, shutting out all people and happenings around him, trying in vein to rationalise his doubts.

 

"Louis?"

 

Louis was sat in his favourite corner of the coffee shop, nursing a large mug of tea and staring with glazed eyes at the toasted ham and cheese sandwich that had looked pretty tasty when he'd ordered it, but was now cold and uninviting.

He glanced up warily.

"What could you possibly want?" He asked tiredly as he looked into the face of his bitter ex girlfriend "If you want to talk trash about Hazza then you can just jog on.  I'm not interested"

Eleanor didnt look bitter or angry now, Louis couldn't help but note, in fact she looked as tired and drawn as he felt.

"Can I sit down?" She asked in a small voice.

"Everywhere else taken?" Louis asked dryly, pointedly looking at the multitude of vacant tables.

Eleanor looked awkward, but carefully sat down, making herself take up the least space possible and pushed a fresh mug of tea and a large caramel and pecan cookie in front of him.

"What's that?" Louis snapped shortly, glaring at the offering and then at her.

"An apology" she replied, voice shaking slightly under his icy stare "please can we talk?"

Louis immediately huffed, folding his arms and looking away.

"Im not interested in your bullshit lies Eleanor" he told her sounding as completely disinterested as he had stated "Go find someone else to gossip to, and about!"

"You used to be interested in what I had to say"

Was that actually a choked sob he had heard.

"I used to care about you" Louis spat at her.

"I still care about you"

Louis said nothing.  There was nothing to say to that.

"Why did Harry have a nickname and I didn't?" Eleanor asked after an awkward silence "You only ever called me Eleanor.  But Harry was always Hazza or Harold"

"Are you seriously jealous of a nickname?" Louis asked incredulously narrowing his eyes and looking upon the girl with distain.

Eleanor opened her mouth to say something then closed it again.  Louis looked away.

"I was jealous that you showed more affection for him than you did for me"

Louis pursed his lips together, then bit his lip, turning to look at his ex properly for the first time since she'd sat down.

"You broke up with me" he reminded her stiffly

"It was either me dumping you, or waiting for you to dump me" Eleanor replied quietly, looking down at her hands "It was easier to just get it over and done with"

"Thanks!" Louis sneered, then frowned "What makes you say that I would have broken up with you?"

Eleanor stared at him with wide eyes "Did you not see the way you were together?" she asked as though she was stating the obvious "The way you looked at him!  The way he looked at you!  Louis!  Deaf and blind people would have been able to feel the sexual tension!"

"Don't be stupid" Louis sighed, although wondering how true that statement was "Evidence or it's not true"

Eleanor rubbed her forehead and reached for her phone.  

"Let's check out the "Larry Stylinson" photo album on Harry's Facebook page shall we?  Here's Harry looking at you"

Louis leaned forward, wondering what he was going to see and what he would feel when he saw it.  Before when he had looked at photos, he immediately looked to see if he was looking all right.  But this time his eyes went straight to Harry.  

Ok, Eleanor might have had a point with that one.  But it was probably just one photo.

"And here is you looking at Harry" Eleanor went on, flicking her finger to change the image.

"They're just photos El" Louis tried to tell her, but knowing deep down that neither of them believed his words.  

 

"Here's what you posted of you and Harry"  Eleanor fiddled with her phone before showing him a picture that Louis actually loved.  Maybe even more now than he had done before.  It summed up him and Harry perfectly.  Happy and together.  More simply.  Happy together.

"And here" Eleanor was now quite close to tears "Is what you posted of me and you"

Louis frowned looking at the photo.  He remembered the day well, it had been taken back when she was all he thought about and he couldn't go a day without seeing her.  He wondered how things had changed so rapidly.  He hadn't even noticed things deteriorating.

"It's a really nice photo" he told her honestly.  He wasn't even trying to say things to make her happy.  He really meant it.

"It's the only one of us you posted" Eleanor told him tearfully "You posted hundreds of you and Harry, and I was your girlfriend, and you only put one up of me" 

"Oh love, don't get upset" Louis pleaded with her, reaching over to remove the phone from her hands so that he could hold them "I really cared about you...I just..." he stopped.  How could he even begin to explain to his ex girlfriend the exact extent of what he felt for his "best friend".

"I really loved you Louis" Eleanor told him, tears spilling over her eyelashes and cascading down her cheeks "But I knew you loved him - even if you didn't know it yourself.  It was so obvious.  But I never....I never..." she stopped, snatching her hands out of his and pressing them to her face "I never thought you would actually be together!"

"Love...me and Harry..."

Eleanor removed her hands from her face, delicately wiping her eyes "You and Harry are in a relationship" her lip trembled as she spoke "And you didn't even tell me.  You should have told me!"

"There's nothing to tell" Louis insisted, "Honestly, love.  It's just a Facebook status.  It's not real.  It's just a laugh" the lies were coming out of his mouth thick and fast.  What he and Harry had was private and special, besides, he couldn't discuss it when he had no idea with what was going on himself.

The crying stopped almost immediately.

"Really?" she asked, searching his face frantically "You're really not?"

Louis bit his lip and slowly shook his head - his lip was getting sore, he must be biting it too much.

"Do you think we could be friends again?" Eleanor asked hesitantly "I've really missed you"

"You promise not to talk shit about Hazza?" asked Louis seriously "Because as much as I'm sorry for you feeling this way, you said some really disgusting things about him!  If you had been a guy I would have punched you in the face"

"I know" Eleanor whispered and looked down at the table again, tears welling once more at her eyes "I'm so so sorry Lou.  I was just so upset and so humiliated.  Everyone is talking about you and Harry and I've been called so many names because of it...I was so jealous and angry..and I missed you so much.  I'm so sorry Louis!"

She grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed it, looking pleadingly into his eyes "Please forgive me and be my friend again?" she begged him.

Louis leaned forward and wiped her tear stained cheeks with his fingers.

"Want to get a drink and go feed the ducks?" he asked, indicating to his discarded sandwich and not saying the words, but agreeing.  He smiled as Eleanor smiled happily, standing up and picking up her bag and phone.

It didn't take them long to walk to the local park.  A place where they had often visited and sat on the same bench together.  Watching the ducks and talking rubbish.  It was fun, and to an extent Louis had indeed missed her company.  Fair enough it wasn't like he missed Harry's company.  But for some reason it felt different now.  It was more relaxed and casual and although the words she had sneered at him, still didn't sit comfortably with him, Louis was beginning to remember how good a friend Eleanor used to be.

"Lou?" Eleanor asked him after they had both decided to head home "I was wondering..."

"What love?" Louis asked, hoping to the maximum that she wasn't going to ask if they could get back together again.

"Can we take a photo of us together?" she asked shyly, getting out her phone "Only, I'd love to be able to show everyone that we're still friends.  They might even lay off me a bit"

"Are they really being that nasty?" Louis asked frowning.  He had expected the remarks that he had received over the past few days, but didn't think the rude comments would be extended towards his ex girlfriend.

"They haven't exactly been polite" Eleanor told him, clearly not wanting to go into details "But this might help me a bit"

Louis smiled, and put his arm around her to give her a small, friendly hug as she handed him her phone and put her arms around him so he could take the picture.

"Do you like it?" he asked, handing the phone back to her for approval "It looks good" he laughed "We actually look like friends in it!"

Eleanor smiled "It's perfect" she told him.  She turned to leave, but quickly turned back "I'm really glad we're friends again Lou" she smiled and blew him a quick kiss.

Louis grinned back, then walked in the opposite direction towards home and his Harry, searching in his pocket for his phone, wondering if he'd missed any calls.

Four missed calls.  Three texts.  All from Harry.

Feeling a little bit guilty about not replying, Louis rang Harry as he walked.  It rang twice and then immediately went to answer phone.  That was odd.  Why had Harry ignored his call?  Louis quickly sped up.  The knot in his stomach was back.

 


	11. Chapter 11

 

Harry's day started with his ears filled with a lot of mumbled swearing and complaints.  

Not his favourite way to wake up.

Instead of attempting to go back to sleep, he made Louis breakfast in bed to cheer him up, and then tried to talk the poorly looking boy through his day.

Louis seemed dazed and confused enough by the time he had said goodbye to him, making sure that he felt the kiss and hug he bestowed upon him as he stumbled out of their flat to get to his first class.

Harry, who had plans of his own, quickly showered and then set about clearing up the flat.  Realising that ninety percent of the mess was the handy work of his über messy boyfriend.

His phone rang as he was shoving Louis' dirty football kit in the wash.  Harry answering eagerly after the first ring.

"Yep, he's just left" he told the caller smiling happily "No, he won't be back for hours, I've even made sure he has all his books and stuff so that he won't need to come home.  We'll be completely uninterrupted all day"

He paused to laugh fondly "Come over quick yeah?" He asked "Louis could be out for days and I still don't think we'll have enough time to..." He paused and then smirked "I know, I've been thinking about it all night too.  Call me when you get here...try not to let anyone see you ok?"

Hanging up the phone.  He tried not to feel too guilty.  The one thing he hated most was lying to his Louis.  luckily he'd spent all his time with Louis talking about Louis' plans... Just so he wouldn't have to lie about his.

 

 

Zayn and Perrie were walking hand in hand through the park on their way to town.  There was a new tattoo shop that Zayn wanted to check out and then they were going to get some food and spend some quality alone time together.

"Eleanor and Louis are looking pretty cosy over there" Perrie told her boyfriend, lifting their linked hands and indicating to the ex couple, who were sitting close together on a small bench and laughing "It's so nice they still get along...considering..."

She trailed off watching as Zayn stopped in his tracks,  looking in the direction she had pointed in, a frown covering his attractive face.

"What's wrong babe?" She asked carefully, urging him to keep walking, but Zayn was not going to move just yet.

"I thought they weren't speaking" Zayn muttered, thinking back to the conversation he had had with Liam after he had wrestled a drunk Niall to bed last night, and Liam had popped back wanting a chat.

"You mean after the whole Harry thing?" Perrie asked, crinkling up her cute little nose "I don't see why they wouldn't be.  I know they broke up, but El was so upset bless her and it wasn't like Louis had done anything wrong.  Did he?"

Zayn pulled Perrie down so they were sitting on a nearby bench, his eyes focused on the boy and girl who Zayn had been under the impression had hated each other.

"well Louis' with Harry now isn't he" Zayn reminded her distractedly

"About that?" Perrie asked "How did that even happen?  I didn't know either of them were into boys.  It was so sudden.  Everyone is talking about it"

"Who is everyone?"

"Well mainly Taylor" admitted Perrie stretching out her legs and leaning into Zayn's shoulder "She took it really hard.  Keeps telling me that she's going to trick him into doing stuff with her so that she can prove he's not gay.  But you have to admit it's weird" she added "I mean I know they are close, but is this just some massive wind up?  Or are they actually together?"

"You saw them together, why don't you tell me" shrugged Zayn, watching as Eleanor and Louis posed for a selfie whilst hugging.

 

"Looks pretty straight to me from here" Perrie commented watching as Eleanor blew Louis a kiss, which he pretended to catch and hold to his heart "Maybe they're getting back together"

 

The crease between Zayn's eyebrows deepened as did his frown.

"Maybe..." He said, more to himself than his girlfriend.  

A thought occurred to him "Can you get Eleanor's Facebook page up?"

Perrie gave him a questioning look, but Zayn was too busy watching Louis' retreating back to see it, shrugged to herself and got out her phone.

"She's posted that selfie" she told him, holding it out for him to see "and changed her status"

_Loved spending time catching up with my Lou Bear xxx - with **Louis Tomlinson**_

"It's also her profile picture" Perrie pointed out "Why are we stalking her page?"

"No reason" shrugged Zayn "Check Taylor's"

Perrie brought up Taylor's page.  

"New profile picture" she reported and showed it to him.

Zayn quickly examined the picture and then read the status that had been updated ten minutes ago.

_Who knew secrets could be so much fun ;)_

But it was the picture that caught Zayn's eye.  It was Taylor lying on the ground laughing, wearing a very familiar t-shirt and coat.  He could be wrong - it could just be a coincidence, but from how the clothes looked too large on that small frame - they looked like they could belong to someone he knew.

A certain friend of his called Harry Styles.

"So" he said, turning to Perrie and trying to swallow the lump of annoyance that felt lodged in his throat "Can we not tell anyone that we looked at this stuff or saw Lou and El tonight?"

Perrie leapt on him "Tell me why first" she bargained.  Knowing that whatever he answered she would keep anything he asked a secret.

They walked off towards town, hand in hand.

"Ok.  But I trust you" Zayn started thinking things over "you know the reason why Eleanor broke up with Louis.....?"

 

Louis' heart was in his mouth as he banged continuously on his front door.

Damn Harry Styles and his sloppy bag packing skills!  He had remembered every text book he could possibly want, but could he remember to check if he could get into his flat?  Obviously not!

Just as Louis was about to kick the door out of frustration, the door flew open and a very red faced, tired looking Harry stood in the doorway.

His long curly hair was even more in disarray than usual, cheeks pink, lips slightly swollen, so they looked more full and his green eyes were almost black.  All he had on was a pair of tight white boxers...that left nothing to the imagination.

"Finally!" He growled, reaching out with both hands to pull Louis quickly inside by his shoulders, slamming the door shut and pressing Louis up against it "Where have you been? I've fucking missed you so much!"

Louis' head was in a spin as Harry sank to his knees in front of him, tugging his jeans halfway down his legs, preventing him from moving - not that Louis had any intention of doing so.

"Harry!" he gasped as Harry's hands tightly gripped onto his hips, sucking on his inner thigh whilst nuzzling into his crotch with the side of his head "Haz..what?"

"You didn't answer your phone" Harry said thickly, mouthing at his erection through his underwear "I was so worried about you baby and I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too" Louis managed to choke out, trying to steady his breathing but swore loudly as Harry tore his underwear down, deep throating him on the first suck, hands clenched around his ample ass cheeks, almost forcing Louis to fuck his mouth.

Harry's eyes were watering as he stared up at Louis, head bobbing up and down at an alarmingly rate,  there was almost a look of fury on his face, even though his cheeks were completely hollowed as he sucked on Louis, his full lips stretched tightly around his thick shaft.

Louis couldn't help it, he was about to come, but as soon as he felt the usual coil of heat, Harry swapped his mouth for his hand, tightly gripping the base of his penis, making it impossible for Louis to reach his climax.

"I am nowhere near finished with you baby" he growled, picking Louis up by the legs and almost running with him down the hall to his bedroom and throwing him down upon his unmade bed.

Louis groaned deeply as Harry heavily threw himself on top of him, hungrily kissing his mouth, dragging his fingers through his hair.

"You don't smell right!" Harry panted, breaking away looking discontented, pulling Louis upright so he could pull the offending T-shirt off over his head and throwing it on the floor before pushing his Louis back against the pillows and pressing his own body against his newly naked skin, breathing in deeply as he returned his face to Louis' neck, completely intoxicated with Louis' distinctive scent.

"Fuck Lou, I'm so close" Harry gasped, reaching down between their bodies, desperately gathering both of their cocks up in his hand, jerking them together, swallowing Louis' moans as he held the smaller boys mouth hostage in a wild open kiss.

They came at the same time, Harry completely collapsing on top of Louis, almost crying with relief at the intensity of his orgasm, hugging his baby so tightly to him that he was almost scared he was going to break him.  

"Get on top of me baby" he managed to say, pressing a long kiss to Louis' temple, and shifting so that the smaller boy was lying on top of him, cheek smushed tiredly on his chest, legs twisted together, Harry's arms keeping him in place.

"How long have we been together?" asked Louis sleepily, and Harry could feel the slight heat of his yawn on his bare skin.

_"Not long enough"_

 Harry dragged his finger tips up and down the sweaty yet otherwise smooth skin of his baby's back and shoulders, smiling into his hair.  Louis didn't smell different anymore.  

A pungent over flowery fragrance had been clinging to the fibres of his clothes.  Harry had smelt it from the moment he'd pulled Louis through his front door.

The impact had been instant.  Something possessive and primal had arisen inside him, combining with the lust and desire he already felt, and allowing it to combust in a shower of heat ripping through his skin,  he had done the only thing he could do to douse the flames.  Now he felt cool and calm.  Louis smelt of a mixture of sweat, sandalwood and come.  Things were right again.

Harry wondered how the foreign smell had gotten onto Louis in the first place, he'd been so wrapped up in his own thoughts since Louis had gone off the radar, he hadn't even asked him about his day.  He hadn't left the house smelling like that this morning.

Had Louis been able to smell what he'd done that day on him too?

Harry drifted off to sleep, his Louis in his arms, dreaming of vanilla candles, brand new leather and wondering what he would tell Louis if he'd been observant enough to ask.

 

 

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

 

After a very long and intense talk with Perrie, Zayn returned home, more confused than ever.  As always, he'd told his girlfriend everything, and to say that she was horrified by the arrangement, was putting it lightly.  She had been much more keen on the situation when she thought Harry and Louis were actually in love, not just together for a  _twisted_ _experiment!_

 

Niall was in the living room, strumming a soft melody on his guitar, pencil in his mouth and studying a piece of paper.

"Good day?" Zayn asked him, flopping down in a chair, watching him idly.

"Try fantastic mate" Niall enthused, pencil falling to the floor as he opened his mouth "Got so much done - this final music piece for my coursework is turning out to be a breeze"

He passed Zayn the piece of paper for him to read, and strummed out the tune to go with it.

"Sounds good" he nodded with full approval "When are you going to record it?"

"Not yet" Niall told him, taking the paper back and examining it "Need to book studio time and get the band booked to do their bits.  It's gonna take a while to make it perfect" he smiled contentedly "It's all going to be worth it though.  How was your day?"

"Confusing" Zayn sighed, and quickly filled him in on seeing Louis with Eleanor and then the Facebook pages of her and Taylor.

Niall frowned "I don't get it.  This is throwing the whole plan off kilter!" He looked genuinely distressed  "I thought Louis hated that bitch?  And don't even get me started on that Taylor-trash!"

"Ni? Do you think this is a waste of time?" Zayn asked after telling him Perrie's thoughts on the situation (Twisted, underhanded and insensitive)

Niall's head snapped up immediately from packing away his guitar in it's case.

"No" he said slowly "Why would you say that?  You were completely on board with the idea"

"But don't you think we are being really underhanded about the whole thing?" he was pretty much repeating Perrie word for word now "What if we really are hurting them?"

"Just look at them for fucks sake!"

Niall was watching the video of Louis kissing Harry whilst he was drunk.  Again.  Zayn had lost count of the amount of times Niall had watched that clip.  He was really taking fangirl to a whole new level.

"Louis loves Harry!" 

The look on Niall's face was all Zayn needed to see.  

It was the look of a small child, when they told you that Father Christmas was real, and really believed that the person who left presents at the bottom of their bed, was really a mythical man in a red and white suit.

"Please do not give up on this Zayn" Niall was begging, big, baby blue eyes imploring "Im not wrong about this, and neither is..."

"It still hasn't faded after all this time?" Zayn cut him off, feeling his will crumble at his sudden realisation.

"More intense every day mate" Niall told him, and without another word he rubbed his face tiredly with his hands, abruptly wandering off to the quiet sanctuary of his bedroom.

Before Niall shut himself away, he called back down to Zayn.

"You can't believe the rumours and gossip" he told him gruffly "You know the truth as well as I do.  We stick to the plan, we win" he gave a weak smile "I may not believe in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - but I will always believe in Larry Stylinson!"

"And we're really not fucking anything up by  _helping_?"

"Friends help other friends achieve their hopes and dreams" Niall told him shortly "That is all we are doing.  That is all you are doing" he hastened to add looking pointedly at Zayn.

"You're an amazing friend Horan" Zayn smiled sympathetically at his best friend "More than they could possibly appreciate"

"Well indeed" Niall managed to muster a small smile "But that will always be our little secret won't it?"

"Im taking it to my grave" Zayn assured him "Although this secret isn't that much fun" he vaguely copied Taylor's indirect status.  Sinking back into the chair quietly and wishing he could see into the future, just to make sure this had a happy ending.

 

 

"Baby, I thought you were meant to be revising?" Harry breathed shallowly, closing his eyes as Louis seductively licked his tongue around the shell of his ear "I don't think I am going to be on the exam"

"I've re-read the same page six times in the last hour" Louis told him, removing Harry's book from his lap and straddling his thighs, putting his arms around Harry's neck "I deserve a break and a reward for being such a dedicated student"

Harry chuckled and shook his head, running his fingers through Louis' silky hair "And how would you like to be rewarded?" he asked in his most gravely voice, pouting his lips and rubbing his nose gently against Louis', loving how his eyes were crinkling with happiness right in front of him.

"I want to start with some of this" Louis told him, shuffling his bum closer to Harry's stomach, tightening his knees against Harry's waist and giving him sweet little kisses on his cheeks "And then, I want to do a lot of this" he continued kissing Harry's lips, coaxing Harry to let him slip his tongue into his mouth.

"That's not a reward" mocked Harry pulling Louis closer to him by wrapping his arms snuggly around his baby "You can kiss me anytime...you do kiss me anytime"

"I want more" Louis breathed into his mouth, swirling his hips and drawing his face back, showing Harry the full extent of his lust blown eyes "Don't you want more?"

 

Harry could never say no, but right now he couldn't say yes to what his Louis wanted.  He had been in a relationship with Louis for twelve days now.  

Twelve long beautiful, amazing days, each one of them starting with lazy early morning kisses, nights full of mind altering, thigh quaking, spine tingling orgasms and days full of fond looks, sweet whispered words and knowing laughter.

They had been the best twelve days of Harry's life.

 

"Babe, I've got to go out soon" he groaned as Louis tried to pull off his t-shirt "You know that"

"All the more reason for me to make the most of you now" Louis reasoned, discarding his attempt to shed his shirt and shifted back to start undoing his jeans "You know how good I can make you feel"

"No babe" Harry groaned, lifting Louis easily by his hips to slide him off his lap and drop him onto the settee besides him "I've really got to go.  Now"

Louis said nothing, but drew his bare legs up to his bare chest in a sulk "Can't I come with you?" he whined pitifully "Everyone's busy today!"

Harry stood up, but leaned over Louis, lifting his face with his hands to draw him into a very long, passion filled kiss "Better get revising then hadn't you" he smirked "Tell you what, if you can get the whole assignment done by the time I get back, I'll give you a really big reward.  That.  You.  Will.  Not.  Want.  To.  Miss!" he finished, punctuating each word with a precise kiss dotted to different parts of Louis' face.  

Louis rolled his eyes.  There were times when Louis wasn't very keen on this new independent side of Harry.  

"Fine" he agreed dejectedly "But it had better be a fucking good reward!"

Harry kissed his hair swiftly, then strode out of the room.  Louis couldn't help but cringe to himself as he heard the front door slam behind him and the silence echoed in Louis' ears.

 

 

 

From the moment Harry shut the front door, he felt guilty.  He hadn't wanted to leave Louis behind.  But there were some things that just had to be done.  Things that Louis couldn't help him with.  Things he didn't want Louis to know about.

 

 

 

Louis tried to get on with his revision, but he couldn't concentrate.  He really felt like he was in a no win situation.  When he was with Harry he couldn't concentrate.  There was too much sexual tension in the air, he wanted to be in Harry's arms, he wanted to feel Harry's finger tips and lips against his skin and his breath on his face.

But when they were apart, he was always thinking about the curly haired boy, wanting to tell him all those little things that filled his head when he looked into those dazzling jade eyes and felt the world disappear from under his feet, invisible strings making him float feet above the floor.  It had only been twelve days, days that had made him see Harry even closer than he had already.  It was hard to believe that in all the years he'd known Harry, he had never truly seen him - appreciated him for who he was and what he looked like.

Louis loved how he would feel his breath catch when he saw Harry stroll out of the bathroom, still wet from his shower with a thin towel wrapped around his narrow hips.  He loved how he would absentmindedly touch Louis' arm or leg, or stroke the back of his neck when he was reading a book, writing in his journal or watching television.  He loved how Harry would hold his hand in public or sling his arm around his shoulders when they were walking in town, or shopping at the supermarket.  He loved to hear Harry sing as he cooked and chased him around the kitchen whilst snapping a tea towel at his bum, making Louis shriek and giggle helplessly until Harry threw him over his shoulder to carry him to bed and make him feel like they were the only two people left in the whole world.

Harry made Louis feel so special when they were together, but made him miss him even more than usual when they were apart.  It made Louis anxious.  Twelve days and still no proper sign that Harry was in love with him.  Harry was more than happy to leave him behind for hours on end.  What was Harry doing when he was alone?  Because he never told Louis.  And that was another thing Louis had learned about Harry that he hadn't thought about before.  Harry had secrets.  Harry kept secrets from Louis.

 

Louis had a secret too.  One that kept trying to slip out of his mouth whenever Harry kissed him or touched him or made his stomach clench when he made Louis come, more intensely than any orgasm he had ever had.  

Louis wanted Harry to make love to him.  

Louis  _desperately_ wanted Harry to make love to him.

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm bothered!" stropped Louis in greeting, stamping through Niall's front door and passing him a tuppawear container of homemade brownies "I want to get drunk, get high, watch shit tv and moan to you all night about my problems!  You in?"

Niall inspected the contents of the tub closely, then shrugged "Lead the way Tommo" and followed Louis who had gone straight to the kitchen and was nosing in the fridge for alcohol.

"What's up?" he asked handing Louis a bottle opener that he was now yanking drawers open to find "Or do you want to grunt a bit more until I guess correctly?"

"It's probably nothing" Louis admitted taking a long gulp of beer and handing Niall a bottle "Or it might be something.  I have no idea"  He threw himself down on the settee with a loud groan.

Niall shook his head and prodded his mate with his foot, until Louis rolled onto his back, sitting up and slouching  over the arm rest.

"Subject?" he asked

"Harry"  Louis scowled as he shoved a brownie into his mouth, chewing aggressively "I'm bothered about Harry"

"What's Harry done?" asked Niall, pausing from putting the chocolaty goodness into his mouth out of astonishment

"He didn't come home last night" Louis snapped, an irritated sad look crossing his face "He went out yesterday and then he didn't come home!  He didn't call.  He didn't text.  He didn't answer his phone when I called or texted him!  Nothing!"

"What?" demanded Niall almost spitting out his drink and launching out of his seat "Why didn't you say something?  What if he's in trouble?"  He began pacing around the living room looking for something.

"Calm down blondie" Louis rolled his eyes from where he hadn't moved an inch, but looking slightly amused at Niall's reaction "He came home this afternoon"

Niall stopped moving abruptly and turned to glare at an innocent looking Louis.

"You shouldn't do that" he chastised "I was really worried!"

"Do you really think I would be hanging out if I thought something had happened to Haz?" Louis threw his hands up in exasperation "Now we're just deviating from the topic.  Sit down and eat your brownie!"

"Ok, so where were we?" he asked, sitting down cross legged at the opposite end of the settee and accepting the brownie Louis handed him "These are really good by the way" he added thickly through his last mouthful and reaching for another one.

"Thanks" nodded Louis "The secret ingredient is weed.  Now.  Back to Harry.  I'm bothered!"

"Ok.  He didn't come home last night" Niall recapped "Did he say where he was?"

"Said he was at yours!"

Niall gulped and turned a little pale as Louis focused in on him with narrowed eyes "But he wasn't here was he.  So where was he?"

"That doesn't mean anything" Niall insisted wondering why he had even attempted to defend this weak argument "Harry could have...erm...maybe he..."

"Niall!" Louis' face was beginning to crumple right in front of Niall's eyes

"Shit!  No Lou bear, don't get upset" Niall rushed to insist "Maybe you misheard him"

"Niall this is all your fault!" Louis exclaimed shoving Niall away from him and standing up, clearly hurt and trying desperately not to show it "You just bowled straight into this stupid fucking idea, made me see my best friend in a different light and now he's out there doing you-know-what with I-bet-I-know-who!" 

"Lou, Harry wouldn't cheat on you!" Niall tried to assure Louis pleadingly grabbing his wrist and trying to prevent him from tugging at his hair "Believe me Lou, you don't believe that right.  He's your best friend!  You know him better than anyone!  You know that he wouldn't do anything to hurt you!"

"Why did he have to make me fall in love with him?" Louis complained bitterly, sitting down at Niall's insistence and taking comfort in more pot laced baked goods looking completely miserable "If he doesn't feel the same for me then why does he keep leading me on?"

"Elaborate?"

"He sees me as his best friend" Louis said slowly, thinking it through "A friend with benefits just for this stupid game.  He doesn't see as anything more than that and it's painfully obvious"

"What makes it obvious?" asked Niall tactfully, trying to hide his annoyance with Harry.  How dare he make Louis feel like this after all he'd done for him!

"Because the more we do together the more distant he becomes" Louis told him miserably "And the more we do together the more I want him.  I really need him Ni and I don't think he needs or wants me in that way and it's driving me crazy.  Why did I ever think this was a good idea?"

"Do you really love him?" Niall asked, a painful little lump forming in his throat, growing as Louis nodded, his eyes downcast.

"Aww Lou bear, come here" Niall opened up his arms, but wasn't prepared for Louis to throw himself into them, clutching at his sweatshirt and burying his face into Niall's neck as he started to sniffle "Tell me everything that's on your mind" he said carefully, rubbing Louis' back slowly "Tell me everything you want to say to Harry if he was here"

"I want to know why he doesn't tell me where he goes when he goes out" whispered Louis in a tight voice "I want to know why he makes up bullshit excuses for not coming home.  I want to know why he doesn't want to come home to me.  I want to know why he puts so much effort into getting me off and making me feel so fucking loved and cared about and then he just leaves me.  I want to know who he's actually thinking about when he's with me"

Niall nodded, glad that Louis' face was still hidden so he couldn't see Niall's expression.

Out of all of those questions, Niall knew the answers to at least one of the questions.  He had thought he would know all of them.  But his knowledge didn't match up to the stories that he was hearing.

"Niall?" Louis looked up at him, his usually bright blue eyes looking a stormy shade of grey "Do you think he's cheating on me?"  

He looked so sad.  Bordering on an injured puppy in both expression and body language.

"No my little Lou Bear.  I don't think he's cheating on you" Niall insisted truthfully "If he even thought about going off with someone else when he could be with you, then he's....well...he'd be a bit of a wank rag wouldn't he!"

Louis mustered a small smile.

"Think about it" Niall carried on "You are one stunning little mother fucker!  You're an amazing lad, you've got the body of one of those naked granite statues in parks, you've got great craic and I think we can both agree - that no one could ever have a more seductive ass than you do!"

"You think my ass is  _seductive_?" Louis asked quirking one eyebrow "That's kind of intimate isn't it?"

"Just telling you how it is Tommo" Niall shrugged as he wolfed down his fifth brownie "When is this stuff going to kick in?" he asked "I'm not feeling a thing"

"I miss Hazza" was all Louis could say dolefully, gulping down more alcohol, finishing his bottle and reaching for another.

"Where is he now?" asked Niall confused "I thought you said you saw him this afternoon.  Did you have a fight or something?  Why isn't he here?"

"He got a phone call and left.  Right after he'd sucked me off on the living room floor"

"Really Lou?  You think me saying you have a seductive ass is intimate, but Harry sucks you off and that's good conversation?"

Louis glared at him "I'm sitting here hurting and all you can do is make jokes" he huffed "Be a bit more compassionate will you Horan?"

Niall settled down immediately and cuddled his friend closer to him "I'm sorry" he whispered into his hair "I'm just as confused about this as you are"

"Why aren't I good enough for him?" Louis asked suddenly, his eyes fixed on the wall "I used to be good enough for him.  Why aren't I enough now?"

"Am I going to spend the whole night massaging your ego mister?"

"You don't just have to massage my ego" Louis purred, knocking Niall off stride as he pressed his lips to Niall's neck and ran his hand up Niall's thigh.

"Lou...what...what are you doing mate?" Niall swallowed uncomfortably.  He could feel a steady feeling of calm licking through his bloodstream as the weed from the brownies was starting to kick into his system, and by the heavy lidded eyes that Louis was gazing at him with, it looked like it was hitting Louis in the same way.

"You like me don't you Ni?" 

One second Louis was sitting next to him, the next he was straddling Niall's lap carding his fingers through his short blonde hair, making the Irish boy tremble slightly with apprehension.

"Lou, you know I love you....but you shouldn't be sat on me like that"

Louis smirked a little and ground his hips down, gripping his fingers into Niall's head and leaning so close that his lips were almost brushing against Niall's.

"I don't feel you complaining"

"What about Harry?" Niall squeaked, leaning as far back as the settee allowed, wishing that he could move his head more "You love Harry!"

"Harry doesn't care about screwing around behind my back" Louis muttered, wavering slightly but quickly recovering "Make me feel cared about Niall.  Please?"

Louis leaned forward, parting his gorgeous pink lips and was just about to press them against Niall's when...

 

"What the actual fuck?" 

 

Niall had never been so happy to see Zayn in all his life.  With one massive shove, he pushed Louis off his lap and jumped up, running across the room, jabbering like a monkey, leaving Louis, once again, alone and dejected.

Zayn glared at Louis and then at Niall, eyes blazing with fury.

"We need to talk now!" he growled, grabbing Niall by the arm and forcing him out into the hall "What the fuck was going on in there?  Why was Louis kissing you?  Where the fuck is Harry!"

"Louis' upset" Niall whimpered, Zayn was grasping at his arm so tightly it really was hurting him "He's a bit high.  He has no idea what he's doing and he thinks that Harry is cheating on him!"

"So you took that as an invitation to take advantage?"

"No!" gasped Niall outraged "I didn't do anything, he just pounced on me!  He didn't even kiss me!  You walked in at the right moment'

"Why does Louis think Harry is cheating on him?" asked Zayn suddenly "Has he seen Instagram or something?"

"He didn't come home last night.  What's on Instagram?"

"Oh shit!" Zayn slapped his vacant hand on his forehead "Harry told me to tell you that we have to say he stayed here last night.  You haven't told him otherwise have you?"

"Funnily enough that's already come up!" Niall spat at his friend bristling with anger "So he is cheating on Louis then?  Where actually was he?"

"Taylor's" Zayn replied quietly "He was with Taylor"

"But.." Niall's lower lip began to tremble "But...Louis..."

"I'll go talk to Louis" Zayn told him quietly "You call Harry.  I think you two need to talk"

"Louis nearly kissed me Zayn" Niall said suddenly, looking at Zayn with tear filled eyes "And I wanted him to"

Zayn's expression was nothing but sympathetic as he gathered up Niall in a big cuddle.  More than anyone, he knew exactly what that kiss would have meant to Niall.

"Are you ok?" he asked compassionately, smoothing his hair "That was really hard on you wasn't it?"

Niall nodded.  Unable to speak.

"Still feel like you can call Harry?" Zayn asked him "This is starting to get really out of hand now"

Niall nodded and made a pained expression when from the living room, he heard Louis openly begin to cry loudly.  He went to run in to his friend, but Zayn stopped him "I'll go" he told Niall "Call Harry"

 

"Harry?"

Harry had answered after the first couple of rings.

"Hey Niallar?" Harry replied cheerfully "What's up?  Have you seen my Lou anywhere today?"

Niall's voice was much harder and colder than Harry had ever heard before.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

"What?"

"Where the fuck have you been Harry?  Louis is here crying because of you!"

"What?" Harry sounded shocked and dismayed "What's wrong?  Is he ok?  Why didn't he call me?"

"He did call you!" Niall snapped, loosing his temper completely "He called you lots of times, but you were obviously getting too stuck into Swiftie to notice!"

"Swiftie?  Ni?  What are you on about?"

"After everything I have done!  This is how you repay me" Niall ranted at him "Louis is in love with you and this is how you treat him!  It's fucking disgusting you...you....wank rag!"

"Ni" Harry stuttered "I don't know what you think you know, but it's not like that!"

A loud wail suddenly echoed from the living room, and Niall completely forgetting that he had Harry on the other line ran through to see Louis clutching at Zayn, crying his heart out with huge, body racking sobs.

"Niall?  Is that Louis?  I'm coming over!"  Harry quickly said and ended the phone call.  Niall threw his phone on the ground and rushed to Louis' side, falling to his knees.  Zayn could not look more furious if he'd tried.

"I'm gonna kill him" he growled to Niall and indicated with his head to his laptop that had been shoved onto the floor.

Niall dived for it and straight away the picture that the screen had been left on came into view.  A new type of anger that Niall had never felt before erupted.  Zayn would have to get in line.  Harry wouldn't make it past Niall alive anyway.

Louis was unconsolable.  Hot tears cascaded over his eyelashes and down his reddened cheeks, struggling to catch his breath as he wailed and Zayn rocked him helplessly in his arms, muttering soothing words over and over again which Louis didn't even try to listen to.  It hurt so badly, more painful than a knife in his heart, more painful than a deadly virus attacking his nervous system.  It was past the point of actually hurting.  He felt like he was dying.

There was the sound of a loud banging coming from the front door and moments later he heard the sound of raised voices coming from the hall.  His heart almost stopped, his brain refused to co-operate.  He could hear Harry.  Harry was here.

"Baby!"  

He could smell Harry.  Even thought his nose was buried in Zayn's jacket that smelt of old leather, smoke and aftershave.  

"Get the fuck away from him" he heard Zayn growl, smacking a hand away that had begun to stroke Louis' hair "You've done enough damage!"

"What's happened?" asked Harry sounding upset and confused "What have I done?  Lou my baby, what's the matter?"

Louis raised his face, unaware and uncaring that his eyes were red and bloodshot, he had snot on his face and his lips were a quivering mess "You disgusting cheating bastard!" Louis raged, flying at the bigger lad and smacking him hard in the chest "How long have you been doing this shit behind my back!"

Harry grabbed hold of Louis' arm before it smacked at him again.

"Get your hand off him!" Niall snarled, at his side in an instant, digging his nails into Harry's skin, making him drop Louis with a yelp of pain.

"Lou!  What are you talking about?  I have never cheated on you!"

 

Zayn laughed harshly "Oh and you expect us to believe that after you stayed at Taylor's last night and then she posts this picture today?  Fuck off Harry.  No one believes your bullshit anymore!"

Niall held up the laptop, showing Harry the offending picture and watching as the taller boys eyes bugged and mouth dropped open.

"That was not from last night!" he said faintly, falling next to Louis where he was crouched in a ball crying softly "Baby, I would never cheat on you"

"Where were you last night then?" Louis' voice was struggling to sound controlled, his fists were balled up by his sides.

"He was at Taylor's" Zayn told him, earning a glare from Harry

"Would you let me speak to my boyfriend please?" Harry's tone was a mixture of desperately anxious and angry

"I'm not your boyfriend!" Louis' half pitched screech cut through Harry like thin wire in a snare "Never call me that again!"

Harry's face was the colour of the whitest chalk "Baby, don't believe all of this.  It's not true!  Louis please!"

Louis had gotten to his feet unsteadily, almost falling over as Harry grabbed his legs, clinging onto them for dear life.

"Louis please!  Listen to me!  That picture was taken months ago!  It wasn't taken last night!"

Louis kicked out with his legs feebly, Harry's face was pressed against his thigh and he was gripping both of his legs tightly to his chest.

"Then why don't you tell me the truth about where you are?" he asked stiffly "You never lied to me and now it's all you do!"

"Ok, I was at Taylor's last night, but you would have gotten the wrong idea if I had told you that"

 

A fresh wave of tears leaked out of Louis' eyes as he stared desperately at Zayn, who was sitting on the edge of the settee looking disgustedly at Harry.

"Harry, you need to leave" he told his friend "Louis doesn't need this right now.  He's staying here tonight"

"No!" shouted Harry, jumping to his feet and holding Louis protectively to his chest "No, you can not order me about!  Louis and I need to talk.  I need to explain everything to him"

"There's nothing to explain!" Zayn muttered "Except for the reason why you can't seem to keep little Harry under control"

 

Harry dropped Louis' legs and stood bolt up right, squaring up to Zayn.

"This is why he's upset!" Harry snapped at him "You are meant to be my mate and you are just fuelling all of this!  Why? You know how much Louis means to me!"

"All I know if that you have blown your chance mate and probably lost your best friend in the process"

Harry turned desperately to Niall.  "You know everything!" He pleaded "why aren't you defending me!  You know more than anyone!"

Niall was watching the front door with a look of deep sadness.

"Louis just left" he commented "Go after him Haz...I'll...I'll explain to Zayn.  Go make things right with your boy"

Harry rushed out into the hallway, dropping a swift kiss on Niall's forehead.

The front door slammed.

"So?" Zayn asked darkly "Harry isn't the only one to have a secret then?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, just to mention that I have posted two chapters today, so if you are seeing this update for the first time, you might want to back up a chapter :):)

Niall sat down slowly.  Why were the brownies kicking in right when he needed to be able to think clearly?

Not only was he about to break one of his best friends confidences, but he had to work out exactly which information Zayn already knew and what he didn't.  When did love have to get so confusing?  

On a whim Niall decided the only thing to do was just say everything and suffer the consequences later. Nothing was going to plan - in fact Niall wasn't even sure where they were in the plan anymore.

"All of this was Harry's idea" Niall said in a rush "The whole boyfriend thing - it all started with Harry"

Niall waited, watching Zayn's face for a reaction.  He got one almost instantly.

First Zayn's eyes opened wide.  Then he frowned, fingers twitching where they rested on the arms of his chair.  

"What?" He asked "When did...?  Why...?  But you said it was your idea?"

"I lied obviously" Niall rolled his eyes "I am so sorry mate, but Harry came to me about three months ago - made me promise not to tell anyone"

"Three months ago?  But Louis was with Eleanor then, and Harry was with....who was Harry with then?"

"Paige" recollected Niall  "Not that it makes any difference.  Harry's been in love with Louis since the day they met"

 

Zayn was looking as though this was way too much information for him to take in.  

"So he came to you...why you?  Why not me or Liam?  Why didn't he just tell Louis?"

"Would you really want to tell your straight best friend that you're in love with him?" Niall asked pointedly  "And, I guess he came to me because...well...you would have laughed in his face and Liam would have thought he was crazy"

"What did you think?" Zayn asked quietly "You've been in love with Louis since day one.  Why would you want to help Harry when you could have had Louis to yourself?"

Niall looked affronted "Because I'm a really good mate!" he replied "What did I tell you before?  Friends help other friends achieve their hopes and dreams.  Love is not something to be selfish with Mr Malik!"

"But Louis was your dream Ni" Zayn said quietly "You are more than just a good mate to give up someone you feel so strongly about"

Niall shrugged "Lou and I would have never happened" he was trying to make light of the situation, but saying it aloud just made him feel worse.  It was what he had been trying not to say for such a long time now, that he didn't realise how the words would sound like coming out of his mouth until they reached his and Zayn's ears "The way Louis looks at Harry, he would never look at me that way.  Even as a joke.  Why would I stand in the way of someone else's happiness to try and get someone who isn't mine"

"When you say someone else's happiness, you mean Louis' happiness don't you?"

"Well of course" snorted Niall "It sounds a lot better that way" he laughed half heartedly "I love Louis so much that I would rather set him up with another guy than to see him miserable and alone"

"Does Harry know about that?"

"No!  And don't you dare tell him!" ordered Niall, unusually strict "That is our little secret and I trust you implicitly with it"

"How did Harry say it?"

"Well.  He took ages to talk around the subject without actually talking about it" sighed Niall "It was a very long afternoon and by the time he'd finished I still had to ask him to summarise it all in bullet points.  I had no idea what he was on about to be honest"

Zayn chuckled.  That did indeed sound like Harry.

"So he asked me that as soon as Eleanor was to ditch Louis, I would come up with this whole theory and see what happens"

"How the hell did Harry know that Eleanor was going to dump Lou?"

"Erm...that was kind of set up..." Niall said awkwardly "There have actually been a few set ups along the way... Harry did all his homework.  It was a very detailed and thought out plan"

"It seems to have gone a little wrong" commented Zayn, thinking of the nights revelations "Or is this a really dodgy aspect of it that he's gambling on?"

Niall rubbed his eyes tiredly "No.  This was not part of it" he replied looking a little testy "We didn't exactly count on outside parties getting involved"

"So how did he get Eleanor to dump Louis?  For fucks sake!  Is she in on this too?"

"Don't be daft!" Niall smirked "She was collateral damage.  Harry just upped his game with the whole friendship thing and put ideas in her head about him and Louis being  _inappropriate._ I was very surprised how well that went" he mused, gazing off into space.

"But what about all the girls that Harry dated?  What about Caroline?  And Kendell and Taylor?  He was actually in proper relationships with them!"

Niall sighed again "Appearances Zayn" he told him watching him closely.  It was like he could actually see the cogs turning in Zayn's mind, piecing all this new information together "They were just something to keep his mind off the thought of Louis banging Eleanor.  He used to get all twitchy whenever she went over to theirs, and you know how thin the walls are...."

Zayn made a disgusted face "I could have done without that mental image thank you"

The two sat in silence for a while.  Niall looking at his phone, Zayn rolling a joint to calm his sudden nerves.

"What did you say to Harry when he told you what he wanted?" Zayn wanted to know as he hunted through his pockets for his lighter.

"I told him that I believe in Larry Stylinson and I'd do whatever he wanted to make it happen"

"But he was so unenthusiastic about the idea" argued Zayn "Are you sure you're not making this whole lot of shit up?  He actually stormed off when you suggested it on Skype"

"He's a much better actor than I gave him credit for" Niall looked impressed "He wanted Louis to want to go for it on his own accord, not be forced into it by him.  And he was right,  Louis went for it"

"Ok.  So this plan has been in the pipeline for ages" summarised Zayn carefully, standing so he could go out on the balcony for a smoke "Harry planned everything down to the very last detail so that he and Louis would get together and play happy families for the rest of their lives"

"yes" Niall agreed instantly, reaching out his hand to accept the roll up Zayn passed him.

"Well if this was such a fool proof plan...why is Louis crying because he thinks Harry is cheating on him?  And why is Harry making out that he's cheating on him?"

 

Niall took in a deep breath and looked worried.

"I don't know" he admitted quietly "Harry went off plan days ago.  Him fucking off left, right and centre and that picture...not part of the plan he and I came up with"

"So he could have actually cheated on Louis?"

Niall let the breath he had been holding out.

"I'd like to say no" he replied standing up and following Zayn to the door "But I honestly have no idea mate.  My first bet was that they would be happily ever after.  My back up bet would have been that Louis would have said no and broken Harry's heart.  I never considered the possibility that Harry would break Louis'!"

"Doesn't that make you angry?" Zayn lit up and passed the lighter to Niall.

"Angry?" asked Niall steadily, and lit up himself "It makes me fucking furious mate.  I did not give up the man of my dreams just to watch him being fucked about with.  Harry's going to have to tread very carefully from now on.  He had better be doing a good job of making up with Louis now, or I'm going to make it known to him that he has options...and one of them is me!"

Zayn laughed "You really think you can compete with Larry Stylinson?"

"Well I for one would not suck him off on the living room floor and leave him there to take a phone call" Niall sneered remembering what Louis had told him earlier.

Zayn's eyes widened in disbelief  "Why would Harry try so hard to get something, only to ruin it?  How long has it been now?"

"Fourteen days" 

"What was going to happen on day forty?" asked Zayn, interested now that the shock of the situation had worn off.

Niall gave a little smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"The grand finale"

"Which is?" Zayn coaxed, his mind racing with theories

"Fuck off"  Niall scoffed "I've said way much more than I should have done tonight!  If it happens then you can find out with everybody else!"

"And if it doesn't?"

"That is not very optimistic of you Mr Malik.  Now if you don't mind.  I am going off to look at the videos of Louis kissing on my phone and have a wank before I fall asleep in a puddle of my own tears"

He got up and opened the door to go inside.  Zayn made a disgusted face at him.

"I wish I knew you were joking!"

Niall's parting words before he shut the door were filled with laughter "That is what I like to do Malik, always keep you guessing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses on what you think the "grand finale" might be? Or if Harry and Louis will even reach day 40?
> 
> Hope you liked it. Thank you for reading and thank you so much for the subscribing, bookmarking, kudos and comments :) I'm really overwhelmed and it makes me so enthusiastic to keep going :)


	15. Chapter 15

 

 

Louis knew Harry well enough to know that once he found out he had left the flat, he would be after him.  So for the first time in his life he hid.

Cloaked within the shadows of a large tree to the side of Niall and Zayn's apartment block, Louis stood still and waited, shivering slightly from the cold, tear tracks freezing on his cheeks.

Barely two minutes had gone by before the door was thrown open and Harry appeared.  By the porch light Louis could see the wild look in his eyes as he ran a shakey hand through his messy hair, looking around anxiously before taking to his heels and legging it down the path, through the open gate and went careening down the road towards their home.  In usual situations, home was where Louis would have gone. But this was far from being a normal situation.  Louis once again didnt want to be there.  For once he just didn't want to see Harry at all.

Louis knew he had about five minutes.  That was all it would take for Harry to search the flat and find he wasn't there.  Then he would start ringing him.  Louis turned his phone off.  He didnt want to speak to Harry either.

It was such a foreign feeling.  It wasn't pleasant.

Slinking out of his hiding place, Louis wondered what he was to do now.  He didnt want to be alone.  He didnt want to go home and he couldn't go back to Niall and Zayn because that was exactly where Harry would go once he found the flat empty.

So where could he go?

The answer came to him before he could even think of one.  Maybe there was someone watching him and giving him a helping hand after all.

"Louis?"

Louis looked up surprised and ready to bolt, but it was only Perrie.

"Hey Pez" he mustered up a weak smile 

Perrie had greeted him with a warm smile Which turned into a look of concern as she took in his red eyes and stained face.

"are you okay babe?" She asked stepping closer to him "Why are you out here?"

Louis shrugged.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Perrie asked in her soft voice, recognising the signs of unhappiness "We could go back to mine?  Have some tea and hobnobs?"

Louis paused considering "Arent you here to see Zayn?" he asked numbly

"Well I was going to make a surprise visit" Perrie admitted grinning "But you look like what's on your mind is pretty important.  Zayn can do without me for one night.  Come on" 

She beckoned him to follow her and led him to where she had parked her car.

Louis got into the passenger seat, sinking as low down as he could in hope that if they were to pass Harry, he wouldn't see him.  No doubt about it, Harry would follow.

 

Perrie didn't live in a flat, but in one of the student accommodation blocks and was the definition of comfort.  Lots of pillows and blankets, and was littered with clothes, candles and...well... Girly stuff.

"Find us a film to watch and I'll go get us some tea.  I might have been lying about the biscuits...want to order some pizza instead?"

Louis nodded realising how hungry he was and logged on to Perries laptop to place the order- there was no way he was going to turn on his phone.

Popping a DVD into the player, he curled up on the single bed, hugging a furry brown cushion to his chest wishing that he could have a cuddle - maybe the empty feeling inside wasn't just from being hungry after all.

Perrie was back in no time, two steaming mugs of tea in her hands, a large bar of chocolate clamped under her arm.

"Chocolate always helps" she told him without being asked.

Louis nodded weakly, accepting the slab she passed him.

"Gir...boy trouble?" she asked him, sitting down besides him and pulling a large fluffy blanket over them both.

Louis nodded again.

"want to eat before we talk?"

Louis nodded more enthusiastically.  Suddenly he felt unable to form words.

For half an hour they sat in silence, watching the comedy Louis had selected, until the pizza came, then they ate in silence until both large boxes were empty.

Louis had been right.  It wasn't lack of food that was making his insides ache.

"You are really sad aren't you?" Perrie asked, lifting her hand and combing Louis' fringe out of his eyes "I've never known you this quiet"

"I'm sorry" Louis mumbled leaning into her touch without realising.

"Don't be" Perrie assured him "I just know that for you to be like this, it must be really important to you"

"It's Harry" Louis almost felt like he was choking on his best friends name "I think we broke up"

Perrie's mouth made a silent 'O' and without saying another word, she put her arms around him, tugging gently so that he was curled up into a tight ball, his head on her lap whilst she stroked his hair - rather like a mother would comfort their child.

"Why would you say that?" She asked carefully "I thought you two were really happy"

"I think he cheated on me" Louis squeezed his eyes tightly shut, willing himself not to cry.

"Oh babe" Perrie soothed, her ever so gentle fingers stroking his back, trying to calm his heaving back when the uncontrollable sobs finally erupted "Im so sorry"

"Do the others know?" She asked, wondering if they did, why she had found Louis all alone.  Had he just left or was he just arriving at Niall and Zayn's when she'd met him earlier?

"Yeah" Louis just about managed to choke out "Was just leaving earlier...left them talking to Harry about it"

"Harry was there?"

"Yeah...he...."

The happy sound of music from Perrie's mobile cut Louis off mid sentence.  Perrie eyed the screen.

"It's Zayn" she reported "if he asks, are you here?  Have I seen you?"

Louis gulped.  It could just be Zayn ringing his girlfriend.  After all, why would he look for him here?  But what if he was?  

Louis badly wanted to tell Perrie to lie, say he wasn't there and she hadn't seen him.  But then he felt guilty.  There were too many secrets and lies going around as it was.

Louis nodded to tell her that it was okay, Perrie gave him a supportive smile, reaching out and holding his hand as she answered the call.

"Hey babe, you okay?"  she asked smiling happily at the sound of her boyfriends voice "Uh, yeah.  He's over at mine.  Yeah, he's ok" she gave Louis a little smile and squeezed his hand "Really babe, you don't need to worry, we just got some food and now we're watching a film.  Babe, I promise, Louis is alright.  He just needs a bit of space"

Louis breathed a sigh of relief.  But his mind was still racing.  

"Lou?" 

Perrie had ended the call and was snuggling down into the blanket.  Eyes thoughtfully watching him.

"You do know that love isn't supposed to be this hard right?" She asked gently.

Louis nodded slowly.  He knew.  

"And no matter what happens then we are all here for you" she pressed "Zayn, Niall, Liam and I all love you and Harry very much"

Louis nodded and then let out a small wail, pressing his face into his hands.  His mind temporally not on Harry.

"I can't see Niall ever again!" He groaned, remembering what happened earlier "for fucks sake Pez! I came onto Niall!"

Perrie tried to look shocked, but instead just smothered a laugh.

"Oh lou you dope!" She exclaimed giving him a hug "there is no way Niallar would have taken that seriously! He's way too laid back and besides you were hurting.  People do funny things when they are hurt"

"Do you think Harry's hurting now?" 

"He's beside himself with worry" Perrie reported uncomfortably "Zayn told me.  But don't worry.  He's not going to show up here.  Liam's taken him to his place"

"why didnt he go home?"

"he said it wasn't home unless you were there with him"

Louis played with his switched off phone in his lap.  Had Harry text him? Called him? Tried to explain? His heart ached.  Even of he could explain, was Harry really worth all the pain and doubt he was feeling?  And if he was feeling this much doubt, did he really love harry at all?

 

 

Harry threw open the door to his flat.  He didnt need to look any further than the hallway.  Louis wasn't here.  He hadn't come home.  If he had been home, Harry knew that he would be able to hear him in his bedroom or see him come out of his room to have a go at him.  He couldn't even smell or feel his presence.  As if on autopilot,  Harry went to his room and locked the already shut door, pocketing the key.  He couldn't go back in there, not now.  Not until he had made things right with Louis.

Feeling numb, he left the flat, locking the door and thinking about walking slowly back to Zayn and Niall's.  Maybe Louis had gone back there.

"Hello Harry"

A bright mocking tone greeted him "What are you doing out here?  I thought you had a romantic evening set up"

Harry stopped abruptly, glaring at the unwelcome company who had stepped out of the shadows and into the light of a nearby street light.

"I think you know exactly why I'm out here" he said shortly "I'm looking for my boyfriend"

"Oh, so he is still your boyfriend then?" asked Taylor snidely "I thought he would have dumped your sorry ass by now" she flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Harry was at a complete loss to know what to say.

"What the hell Tay?" he asked finally, his tone tinged with hurt and accusation "I thought you were my friend!  After everything we've done together over the past two weeks you choose tonight of all nights to go and spoil it for me!"

Taylor laughed "Well of course I was going to spoil it" she shrugged "I'm not going to have you humiliate me in front of the entire school and get away with it.  I'm guessing the little baby saw my picture then?"

"yes" snapped Harry, feelings of betrayal moving over to accommodate anger "Thanks for that!  That picture could have cost me my relationship!"

Taylor laughed again "Good" she smiled "That was my intention" she climbed the steps to join him in front of the shut door "Now we can get back to where we left off before you decided to pretend to be gay for the sake of a twink!"

"Don't you dare call Louis that!" growled Harry "Why did you even have to bring him into this?  Why can't you just try and hurt me?  Why go after someone I care about?"

Taylor didn't answer, she was too busy looking over Harry's shoulder.  Her smile confused him.  He knew she was smug about her actions, but he didn't expect the huge shit eating grin she had plastered on her face.  

"Maybe we should go inside?" she suggested, turning to the door and then looking back at him coyly

"Maybe you should fuck off" Harry hissed

"Aww baby" 

Taylor gave a sweet, innocent looking smile and then casually leaned over to kiss a very indignant, very surprised Harry on the lips.

In the split second before Harry pushed her away from him, he heard the loud sound of a shutter and saw a flash.

Spinning around to the street, he saw Eleanor holding up her phone from where she was stood only a few feet away.

"That was easy!" she smirked "Sorry Harry, but you can't have Louis!  He was never yours to take!"

 

Harry stood stunned.  He glanced desperately at Taylor.  His ex girlfriend who he had been one hundred percent sure had been his friend.  Who he had confided in for the past two weeks, who had helped him set up.... all gone.  

"Louis" he gasped, imagining what the picture was going to look like from an outsider "Ellie please!  Please don't do this!" he pleaded running down the steps towards her "I'll do anything.  Please do not show him that picture!"

"Why not tell him the truth?" asked Eleanor looking too sweet and innocent, and nothing like the sneaky snake that she was inside "Why not tell precious little Louis, that two jealous ex girlfriends have set it up to have him believe that you're cheating on him?  He'll believe you right?"

Harry gaped.  Of course Louis wouldn't believe him!  Louis was already convinced he was cheating on him.  This was it.  Him and Louis would be done.  He felt faint.  The whole hopelessness of the situation was making him shake uncontrollably, sinking down to sit on the bottom step.  Head in hands.

"I know he thinks you're cheating on him" Eleanor continued and Harry remembered exactly why he'd always disliked her "Because whenever you're with Taylor...making those crappy little romantic gestures...I'm hanging out with Louis.  He's so insecure isn't he?  All I have to do is ask constantly where you are and what you're doing...and when he doesn't know..." she laughed "It's not hard to put little niggling thoughts into his head!"

Dizzily, Harry scrambled to his feet and ran.  Away from the hysterical laughter, away from the two bitches who were ruining his life. He had to get to Louis.  He had to get to him in time.  But as he only got through to Louis' answer phone every time he rang, and as he banged hard on the door to his friends apartment.  Harry knew deep inside that he was already too late.


	16. Chapter 16

Niall was lying in bed in the dark, flicking through his photos.  Most of them made him smile, others made him want to cry, but mostly they made him dream about something he really wanted, but knew he would never be able to experience.

Louis.

Of course he wasn't the only person in the photos.  There were more than plenty of Zayn and Liam and to a lesser extent, Perrie and Liam's girlfriend Sophia.  Even Eleanor was in a few of them - which he always cropped out!  

Now that he was alone and was able to think without a chemical substance pleasing his brain, Niall worried about what he had confided in Zayn with.  He may have got a lot of his chest in the process, but admitting the whole plan just like that made him feel guilty.  Guilty of betraying Harry, guilty that he had admitted his true feelings for his friend out loud and even said that he would happily compete for the boys affections if Harry really had overstepped the mark.

Had Harry cheated?  The evidence was pretty damning.  But he knew better, and to say that he had no idea where Harry was flitting off to, would be a blatant lie.  Some of the times he had known exactly where he had been, because he had been with him.  But that was another secret - part of the plan they had carefully crafted together.  It would be wrong to try and get a shot from denying it.  And would just make him look bad in the process.  Poor Louis would be so confused over who to trust, and Niall knew that Harry would tell him everything just out of desperation of loosing the boy he loved.  

Because Harry loved Louis.

Because Louis loved Harry.

And yet Niall loved Louis too, but he had had to say goodbye to those feelings the day he became Harry's accomplice.

Did he regret it? 

No.

If Louis was happy then he would make himself say things he didn't mean, feel emotions he didn't believe and put on a show to all his friends that all he really wanted was for Harry and Louis to be together.  Because he was their friend, and that's what friends did. They helped each other achieve their hopes and dreams.

Did he regret it?

Yes.

Because Louis wasn't happy.  He was crying, Harry was crying.  They were probably somewhere making up right now.  No doubt Harry would be saying sorry over and over again and explaining and Louis would be so overwhelmed with the romance and those big dazzling green eyes and stupid massive dimples and slow sincere speech that he was probably losing his clothes right now and Harry would be kissing him and touching his soft, delicious smelling skin and.....

AGH!!!!

This wasn't fair!  None of this was fair!  Why was he loosing out again? Why had he stopped Louis from kissing him earlier?  He wanted to, he had wanted to so badly.  But he'd stopped him!  Why had he stopped him?  That would never happen again!

 

His rational side kicked in immediately.  

He had stopped it because it would have been wrong.  Louis was only doing it because he felt lonely and worried and hurt.  Niall didnt want that.  If Louis was going to kiss him, he wanted the reason to be because he was Niall.  Because at that moment all the boy was thinking of would be how he wanted to kiss blonde haired, blue eyed Irish Niall.  Not because he was trying to get back at curly haired, green eyed, Cheshire born Harry.

But Louis loved Harry.

And that was the problem.  Niall would never be Harry.  Just plain old Niall...and that wasn't what Louis wanted, and what Louis wanted, Niall could never be.

 

A soft knock on the door made him realise that he might be crying a little.  Quickly wiping his eyes, he called out to Zayn, who slunk into his room and sat down at the foot of the bed - warm brown eyes examining him closely.

"What you said earlier" Zayn told him quietly "About friends helping other friends achieve their hopes and dreams?"

Niall nodded.  Hopes and dreams were stupid.  

"Well I'm your friend" Zayn told him passionately "And I love you bro.  You really love Louis don't you?"

Niall tried to shake his head.  But he was sick of lying, so he nodded.

"So much it hurts" he rasped 

"Then I'll help you get him" Zayn shrugged, then quickly got up, walking to the door before Niall could answer "Because I'm your friend, I'm going to help you achieve your hopes and dreams"

The door shut.  Niall was once again left alone with his thoughts.  


	17. Chapter 17

Zayn was just shutting Niall's bedroom door behind him when the frantic banging on his front door started.  Upon opening it, he was almost knocked off his feet as Harry dashed inside, racing into the living room calling in a rather hoarse voice for Louis.

"Harry!" Zayn grabbed his arm, as Harry doubled back past him, checking both the bathroom and throwing open the door to Zayn's bedroom.

"Where is he?" demanded Harry "His phone's off, he's not at home and I need to talk to him!  Now!"

"For fucks sake Haz, what have you done now?" growled Zayn "Louis isn't here...as you can see" 

"Niall!" Harry called out throwing open his bedroom door "we need to talk!"

He went to shut the door behind him, but Zayn still glaring had stuck his foot in the way.

"Zayn, now is not the time!" Harry groaned desperately as Zayn muscled his way through into the room and joined Niall who was sitting up in bed looking confused.

"I need to talk to him alone" he glanced pointedly at Niall.

"I told him everything Harry" Niall admitted "His perspective might be good here.  I'm not feeling so great"

"What?!" Harry asked astonished "Why the hell did you do that!" 

"Because this is getting out of hand and I'm sick of lying" Niall replied tiredly "I don't know what's going on anymore and Im starting to regret helping you"

"But...."

"If you want my help, you're going to need to fess up" Niall continued getting out of bed and grabbing a hoodie "Because I don't like what I'm seeing and right now I don't blame Louis in the slightest for thinking you don't give a shit about him"

"He said that?" 

Harry looked devastated sitting down on the floor, head in hands.

"Not quite in those words, but that's what your actions have been implying to him" Niall told him calmly "If you can explain yourself then I might be able to sort things out, but at the moment all I can see on front of me is a big fat cheater who's stringing one of my best friends along in some kind of freakish game you created.  Am I right?"

"No!" Harry exploded jumping to his feet in anguish "Its nothing like that!  Why would you think that?"

"Can you really not see it?" Asked Zayn incredulously "Because I saw it, Louis has seen it.  Niall even knew the whole thing and he even thinks you are messing about"

"But I'm not!" Insisted Harry verging on being hysterical "I have never cheated on Lou! I love him!"

"Funny way of showing it" muttered Zayn

"Shut up!" Harry snarled, misery giving way to anger. "You know nothing!"

 

"Knock knock!" Announced Liam cheerfully, sticking his head through the open door "Doors wide open lads" he commented, oblivious to the tension as he smiled around at the three boys "Ah cool, we're all here" he looked around "Where's Lou?" He asked, before adding "What?" In a very drawn out, suspicious manner.

Three pairs of eyes were silently staring at him.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked carefully, eyes widening, first examining Niall's tired, possibly tearful eyes, the vein that throbbed in Zayn's temple when he was feeling especially angry, and finally a very twitchy glowering Harry.

"Ok" he said finally after evaluating what he had just walked in on "Does someone want to bring me up to speed?"

Liam was met with three nervous glances and a shuffling of feet.

"Does this have anything to do with Harry kissing Taylor?" Liam finally asked bluntly "Because that would explain why Lou isn't here!"

 

Finally, a response.

Harry swore loudly before kicking Niall's wardrobe and then leaning his arms against the wall, head buried in them.

Zayn's instinct had been to start shouting at Harry, but was thrown off guard as he had to throw himself on top of a furious Niall who with a snarl of fury had tried to throw a punch Harry's way.

"You liar!" He cried out "You fucking liar!  Zayn, get off me!"

Niall struggled against Zayn, trying to lash out at Harry who had immediately stood behind Liam.

"it's not what it looks like!" He pleaded looking quite rightly alarmed by his usually placid friends outburst "they tricked me! I didn't kiss her!"

"of course you didn't" shushed Liam, putting his arms around the taller shivering boy "you would never cheat on Louis.  We all know that"

He paused, evidently waiting for Niall and Zayn to voice their agreement.  Instead he heard two muttered insults of an explicit nature.

"Right" Liam continued in a no nonsence manner "Talk to me.  We are all, not only civilised adults, but we are best friends.  Niall.  Why did you feel the need to physically attack Harry?"

"Because he's a lying, cheating little shit!" Niall huffed, red in the face, but no longer needed Zayn to hold him.  He sat down on his bed with such force it made the furniture shake.

Liam sat down on the floor, pulling Harry to sit down besides him.

"Harry?" He asked quietly "Have you and Louis fallen out?" He asked gently, giving his shoulders a comforting squeeze "It's ok, we're all friends here.  You can talk to us"

"If he cheated on Lou, he is no friend of mine" spat Zayn venomously "We're done!"

Liam threw Zayn a disgusted look "are you serious?" He exclaimed, clucking his tongue in annoyance "Don't be ridiculous!"

"I'm with him" shrugged Niall, hard eyes not leaving Harry's.

"I.  Did.  Not.  Cheat.  On.  Louis" Harry bit out, teeth clenched, eyes trained on the floor.

"I believe you" Liam told him in his most caring tone "Why don't you go get a drink or something.  I need to talk to these two"

Harry nodded slowly, and without looking at anyone, he left the room.  The sound of him banging around in the kitchen made Liam flinch.

"What is the matter with you both?" Liam hissed turning to his friends "I know the picture looks bad, but it was obviously a set up. Where is Louis?  Did he actually think it was real?"

"I haven't seen that picture" Niall said, clearly ruffled "But I'm beginning to think that Harry isn't as innocent as he's making out to be" and went on to tell Liam exactly what he thought about Harry's behaviour towards Louis over the past few days.

Zayn took particular note that Niall did not let him into his and Harry's plan.  

"Niall!  Harry is your friend!" Liam persisted, ignoring the glower on his friends face "There were bound to be some problems during this relationship - which may I add was your idea - and if anything you need to be the first one to support both of them.  This must be a very weird transition for the two of them  , the last thing they need is for us to listen to idle gossip"

"You want me to support them?" Niall's voice was strangely high pitched and shrill, sarcasm dripping off his tongue "You have no idea how much support I've been giving him.  If I gave any more support I'd be a flipping jock strap!"

"Zayn, why don't you give Louis another call?" Liam suggested "If he and Harry have issued they need to work through perhaps we can convince him to come and talk it out now"

Zayn nodded.  No luck.  It went straight through to the answer machine.

"Im gonna call Perrie" he sighed "Maybe he asked her to give him a lift somewhere"

"Louis can drive himself" Harry muttered as he came back into the room "He's not answering his phone"

"Not with the stuff he was eating earlier" Niall told him, sounding pleased that there was something about Louis that Harry didn't know.

Harry glared at him "I wish you would stop forcing that shit on him.  I hate it when he does that.  He's gonna be seriously ill one day and it'll be all your fault!" He accused.

"How dare you!"

Niall was trembling.

"All I'm saying is that if you actually cared about him, you wouldn't encourage him to take drugs and drink as much as he does!"

"Hey!" Zayn fully got into Harry's face "He cares about Louis a lot! More than a lot!"

"Zayn..." Niall tried to catch Zayn's eye, shakin his head in a warning "Dont.."

"No one here cares about Lou more than me!" Harry almost shouted in frustration "He's only not here because of the shit you two put in his head!"

"If you had been a decent boyfriend there wouldn't be shit to put in his head!" Shot back Zayn

"Oh my god!" Shouted Liam in frustration, standing between the two of them, one hand on each of their chests "would you listen to yourselves! Have you forgotten who we are? Each of us is one of five.  All equal.  All strong on our own but we are one unit.  We stick together, we help each other with no questions asked.  Do you really want to throw all of that away? Years of friendship and good times?  Is that what you really want?"

He glared around at all three of them, almost daringly them to contradict him.

"I fucked it all up" Came Harry's tiny voice from Liam's left, softening his eyes instantly.

"It's ok" Liam assured him, pulling the younger boy into a hug, seeing him tear up "Everything will be ok Haz.  I promise"

"Do you promise you didn't do anything wrong?" asked Niall quietly, sounding chipped and forced.

"Harry doesn't need to explain himself to you Niall" Liam answered "Come on Harry.  You want me to walk you home?"

Harry gripped hold of Liam a little tighter "I don't want to be there without Lou" he mumbled into his shoulder.

Liam nodded and patted his back "We're going to mine then" he told Niall and Zayn "Find Louis and make sure he's ok" he told them "Text me when you do" he paused after he'd ushered Harry into the hall "and boys...sort your priorities out" he told them both sternly "You have no idea how disappointed I am in both of you" 

Harry and Liam left the flat without another word.

 

 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Liam asked when they had reached his shared house and hidden themselves away in his room.

"He's never going to forgive me Li" Harry whispered dejectedly "I can't believe I fucked it up so much"

"Still not got his phone on then?" 

Harry shook his head.  "He's avoiding me" he stated "I don't blame him"

"Haz, I hate to ask, but what have you done?" Asked Liam a little hesitantly "You're not going to come out with some massive confession are you?"

Harry shook his head

"I just got scared" he admitted laying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling "Louis was everything I had ever wanted and I threw it all away because I was scared.  I'm such a fool"

"What scared you?"

Harry chuckled darkly "loosing him.  Isn't that ironic.  I screwed everything up because I couldn't handle the thought of loosing him"

"You really love Louis that much?" Liam sounded a little surprised "Then why have you..."

"Been acting like a prick?"

"I wouldn't say that" Liam lay down besides him "But...erm...never mind...carry on"

"Li, how am I going to explain everything to Louis?" he rolled over to face Liam who turned his head to meet his eyes.

"Harry" he smiled sympathetically "It's Louis.  He's your best friend.  Trust me.  He'll hear you out.  And if you haven't done anything wrong.  Then you have nothing to be afraid of"

"Do you think he's ok?  I don't like him going awol...especially after he's been smoking shit with Niall.  And he's still not switched his phone on!"

Harry felt like he could tear his hair out.  It was such an internal struggle to keep his emotions under control.  He hated how he didn't know where Louis was.  Was he upset?  Was he still crying?  Had he seen the newest addition to Taylor's Facebook wall?  Would he ever speak to Harry again?  

"He's ok"  Liam assured him "I got a text from Zayn a few minutes ago.  Perrie took him back to hers.  They're watching a film"  he nudged Harry "She'll be looking after him"

'Should I....?"  Harry sat up quickly, reaching for his shoes.

"No" Liam put a cool hand on Harry's arm, shaking his head "Perrie said he needs a bit of space.  He knows you're here.  He'll come to you when he's ready"

"But what if he doesn't?" Harry squeaked actually pulling on his hair in frustration "Li I need to act now!  I can't loose him!"

Liam's grip tightened on Harry's arm "You're not going to do any good whilst you're all upset.  You and Louis are so finely in tune with each other that you're just going to rile each other up.  Think about it very carefully Harry. Come lie down a sec" he patted the bed space next to him.

Harry eyed him warily.  He was all for Liam's advise.  As the most level headed one of the whole group, Liam was usually the one who all of them had turned to at one time or an other.  But Harry had to admit, he wasn't entirely sure he knew where this one was going.

He lay down anyway.

"Now what?" he asked bluntly

"Close your eyes" instructed Liam, wrapping his arms around his head and closing his own.  

Harry closed his eyes "Are you tricking me into falling asleep?" he grumbled

"Nope.  Eyes shut?" Liam opened one eye and sneaked a peek at Harry.  Smiling slightly as he saw him lying down, hair splayed messily over the pillow.  He had a deep frowning crease down the centre of his eyebrows and his bottom lip was turning white by how hard he was biting it, but he was doing exactly what Liam had asked.

"Ok.  Now picture Louis"

"What?"

"What's Louis doing now?"

"I don't know Liam.  He's not here" there was a faint tinge of irritation in Harry's voice.

"What if he was here?"

Harry swallowed hard.  He kept his eyes closed and tried to picture his Louis.  Instantly it was as thought someone had put a picture of him behind his eye lids.  He could clearly see every detail, which wasn't surprising considering how he'd memorised every aspect of him.  From being able to count exactly how many crinkles were at the corners of his eyes when he smiled, to where the first bit of stubble appeared on his chin when he didn't shave.  Harry could picture holding out his arms, and if he thought really hard, he could feel the weight of Louis' arm and upper torso press against his side, small fingers clutching his right shoulder as he snuggled down into him to sleep.

"If Louis was here" Harry whispered "I'd do everything in my power to make sure he knew exactly how much I love him and how sorry I am for being so scared and ruining the best thing to ever happen to me"

"Why were you scared of him leaving you?" asked Liam, checking to make sure Harry's eyes were still closed and easing himself off the bed, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Because he's everything to me" Harry replied, a lone tear trickled down his temple "Because I need him as much as I need oxygen to breathe.  Because the moment he leaves my side, it feels like the sky has clouded over and the sunshines gone.  Because he is worth so much more than I could ever give him.  Because I have nothing to offer him apart from my love and it doesn't feel like enough"

"What would you say to him if he was here?" 

Harry squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

"I love you baby" he wept, gasping a little for breath "I'm so sorry baby.  Please don't leave me"

Harry's face crumpled and he threw his arms over his still shut eyes, finally letting all the emotions of the night come to a head and overspill the tightly shut filter he'd contained them in.  

Liam said nothing.  Instead he pulled his phone away from directing it at Harry and looked at the screen at a red eyed, blotchy faced Louis.  His fingers were in his mouth to try and keep quiet, and Liam could vaguely recognise the fingers of Perrie, gently combing his fringe out of his eyes.  Liam mouthed goodbye and quickly ended the FaceTime call.

Seconds later a text came through from Perrie's phone, that he had called secretly minutes before.

_Thank you_

Only Liam knew it wasn't from Perrie.  

Everything was going to be fine. 


	18. Chapter 18

"Morning sunshine" Perrie's singsong smiley voice penetrated Louis' ears as she skipped over his legs and perched on her desk chair to apply her make up "How you feeling?"

Louis yawned and stretched, rolling from his side onto his back and sleepily sitting up to rest his head against the side of Perrie's bed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"It feels early" he mumbled "You look really nice" he complemented, thinking for the hundredth time how well suited she was to Zayn.  He always looked like he was dressed for a runway every day too.  He wondered vaguely how he had looked in relation to Eleanor.  And then there was Harry....who was just perfect all by himself. 

"Aww thanks babe" Perrie beamed at him after applying a final coat of rich rouge lipstick.  She eyed him critically "Why don't you hop into my bed and get some more kip?" she suggested kindly "I don't think you got much sleep on the floor did you?"

Louis gave a little cheeky smile, jumping to his feet and diving under her duvet "Thanks love.  As much as I love sleeping on your floor, my back doesn't"

"Want to meet for lunch later?" Perrie asked, throwing her phone, hair brush and keys into her bag "It can just be us if you like?  Maybe Eleanor?  I won't tell her anything obviously"

Louis crinkled his nose "Erm...can I just hang out here?" he asked uncomfortably "It's just....well...I might see...Harry" 

Perrie sighed, once again they seemed to be covering old ground "I thought you wanted to see Harry?  Especially after seeing him on the phone last night.  I had to pretty much tackle you to the ground to stop you racing round there!"

Louis' brow creased as he snuggled into Perrie's soft, lavender scented pillow.

"why did you stop me again?" He asked "Everything seems so blurry"

"Do you wish you had gone?"

"No" Louis replied thinking hard, remembering how he'd spent a good couple of hours after the phone call, rehashing every second of dialog and action he'd seen "That would have been a bad idea...fuck Pez, I have no idea what to think anymore.  I miss him so much!"

"Uh uh! No more tears" lightly scolded Perrie sitting down next to him and grabbing his chin with her fingers, forcing him to look at her "I know this is horrible for you now, but it's going to be fine" she briefly kissed his forehead "I promise babe"

Louis smiled weakly, awkwardly turning onto his side and sliding an arm around her waist to give her some kind of a hug.

"Thanks for this" he muttered "I really needed you last night"

Perrie snorted "I had no idea when I got with Zayn that I'd inherit four brothers in the process" she rolled her eyes "Don't tell the others" she stage whispered "But you've always been my favourite!"

Louis smirked "Well duh" he replied "Im awesome"

"And modest" commented Perrie dryly "Look, I've got to run.  If you want to meet up, I'll make sure I'm at the coffee shop at 12.  If you want to stay here, I'll be home at about 2ish"

Louis nodded, curling up under the covers, his mind whirring with thoughts that he was scared to think about.  What did he really need right now?

What he needed was to talk to his best friend.  He needed to talk to Harry about something he'd figured out.  There was no one else who would understand, and no one else who he was ready to tell.

But his revelation would probably ruin everything.  It was probably be best if he just kept quiet.  Even if the silence was suffocating him.

 

"What have you got planned today?" asked Liam kindly passing Harry a fresh mug of coffee as he sat down tiredly at the kitchen table "I'm leaving for class in about an hour if you want to walk with me"

Harry took a sip, enjoying the rich aroma as it awakened his dull senses, and then groaned "I fucked up Li" he groaned, laying his head down on the table, his temples throbbing with the tension headache he'd acquired during the night.

"So you keep saying mate" Liam stated "You know what works really well when you fuck up?"

"What?" Harry mumbled into the solid wood

"Apologising!" Liam prompted, poking Harry's still visible cheek "Works wonders and everyone feels so much better"

"He's not going to believe me.  Niall and Zayn don't believe me.  I wouldn't believe me" a thought struck him "Why do you believe me?" he asked, raising his head slightly, his dull green eyes looking enquiringly into Liam's soft brown ones.  If ever Liam looked more like a harmless puppy, it was now.

"Because I know how much you love Louis" Liam answered "Listen to me" he pulled out a chair next to Harry's "I'm not going to lie to you.  In the eyes of Louis, Niall and Zayn, you have been acting pretty shady lately.  Louis is their best friend and right now, you are the worst possibly human because you made Louis cry"

Harry visibly winced, lifting a clumsy, shaking hand to massage his temple.

"So, it's time to come clean" Liam told him carefully, taking into account the look of wariness that blanketed Harry's expression "Because if you want Louis.  You are going to have to work to get him back.  Because he's going to be stubborn, and he's going to fight you every step of the way.  But..."

"He's worth it" Harry finished.  He sat deep in thought.  Hands clenched together as he thought back over every single wrong move he'd made during the last few weeks "But I'm not" he finished defeatedly "Louis deserves better" and ignoring Liam's protests, he got up from the table and went to leave.

"You're only making things worse Harry!" Called out Liam feeling frustrated by the boys actions "If you would stop wallowing in self pity and do something this would all be over and done with in minutes.  You're just dragging this out and putting both of you under un-necessary stress!"

Harry appeared in the doorway looking troubled.

"It's not that easy"

"Yes it is" Liam was proud of how patient he sounded whilst faced with Harry looking extremely petulant "Fair enough you tried really hard to create an outstanding romantic gesture - which Louis will love by the way - but unless you man up then someone is going to best you to it and you will be replaced.  Is that what you want?"

Harry floudered.  He hadn't considered the possibility of Louis replacing him.

"Of course I don't want that!" he exclaimed grabbing his hair with both hands and tugging at it "That's the last thing I want!"

Liam slowly got up from the table, taking hold of Harry's wrists and easing them away from pulling out his precious hair, holding onto them tightly.

"Well then, put yourself in Louis' position and think about how he's feeling for a change" Liam told him, feeling bad that he was sounding so cruel, but knowing he needed to in order for Harry to start acting on the future instead of dwelling on the past "He's probably feeling very lost and lonely without you.  You are his best friend and the one he confides in about everything - and he probably wishes he could talk to you, but you are the problem.  So he can't.  Who do you think he is going to turn to first when he can't talk to you?"

Harry swallowed uncomfortably "Eleanor" he whispered, choked a little venerable 

"And who has been waiting for you to fuck up so that they can take back their place as Louis' significant other?"

"Eleanor"

"And who has Louis been with every time you sodded off?"

"Eleanor"

"Case closed"

"But Louis loves me" Harry's voice was small

"Then it's up to you to make sure he never stops" Liam shrugged "I can only help you so far" he reminded his friend sadly, letting go of his wrists to pull him into a hug "But you're on your own in this" he let Harry digest his words, all the while clinging hold of Liam as though his life depended on it.  Liam hoped his words had been enough.

 

"Louis babe, you really need to get out the house a bit" Perrie told him three days later as Louis crawled into her vacant warm bed seconds after she'd got up.  It was fast becoming their morning tradition.

"But I like it here" Louis moaned "It's quiet, no one bothers me, and I like your DVD collection" he added "Besides you like me here"

"I love having you here" Perrie confirmed "However...." She stopped, smiling at how Louis was now pouting at her using his best impression of puppy eyes "Take all the time you need Lou" she said finally "you're welcome here as long as you want"

 

"You guys really need to do something about Louis!" She announced to Niall and Zayn, joining them at their picnic table in the middle of the student centres patio "he hasn't left my room in five days!"

"Hello babe" Zayn drawled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close for a welcoming kiss.

"I thought you said he was fine?" Niall asked frowning "I had it on your good authority that he was fine!  If I had known he wasn't fine I would have come to see him!" he glared at Zayn "But somebody told me not to interfere"

Perrie paused from kissing her boyfriend to turn to Niall.

"He is fine" she said delicately "He has a few issues he's trying to come to terms with.  Not that he's told me.  However, it's not hard to notice he's getting bored and to be honest he's becoming quite isolated and lonely.  All he does is watch chick flicks in bed, reading my magazines...he's experimented with my eyeliner and last night I walked in on him wearing just underwear because his clothes were in the wash!"

Niall laughed out loud, Zayn smirked.

"Aww, was half naked Lou a little too much for my innocent princess's eyes?" He asked, running his fingers through her long wavy hair.

Perrie looked a little confused with her reply and pulled her phone out.

"Half naked Lou is not a problem I assure you...not that I look" she rolled her eyes as Zayn marginally tensed up "But he was wearing my knickers!"

Niall's mouth opened so wide in silent hysterical laugher that Perrie was sure his jaw was going to lock.  He grabbed the phone out of her hand, eyes widening gleefully as he got an eyeful of Louis.  Standing at the window in Perrie's room, arms folded on the ledge, chin rested on his arms, arse prominently stuck out, wearing only a little pair of white shorts that didn't even begin to properly cover his ample behind.

"Fuck me!" Niall whistled secretly sending the picture to his own phone "That is some serious ass!"

"Give me that!" Zayn grabbed Perrie's phone and eyed the image suspiciously "Babe, why is he wearing your underwear?"

"His were in the wash" Perrie shrugged "And he thought they were yours!"

"He doesn't see you in your underwear does he?" Zayn asked quietly, not feeling jealous as such, as he knew Louis was the last person who would gawp at his girlfriend, but still not entirely too happy with the thought.

"He's the perfect gentleman, just like you" Perrie eskimo kissed her beloved Zayn before sweetly drawing him into a long luxurious kiss.  She'd really missed Zayn the last few days, but because she hadn't wanted to leave Louis alone in his time of need, she hadn't spent anytime with her boyfriend - and by the way Zayn was cupping her face and deeply kissing her, she wasn't the only one missing the contact.

"When do I get to spend time with you?" he murmured into her ear, before sweetly dropping light kisses over it "I miss you babe"

"I miss you too baby" Perrie assured him, wanting to bite his delicious looking bottom lip "But I really don't want to leave Louis alone...I'd feel well guilty"

"I'll babysit!"

Perrie and Zayn broke eye contact long enough to look up at an enthusiastic Niall.

"Come on!" he said, grinning from ear to ear "I miss Louis too you know!  I can pretend the only reason I'm there is to drop off some clothes for him and then just stay.  Then you two can have the whole flat to yourselves and make all the disgusting sex noises you want!"

"There is no way you're saying no" warned Zayn tapping Perrie on the nose "As far as I'm concerned, I've got you for the whole night...maybe even tomorrow if Niall doesn't mind"

"Niall is willing to stay with Louis as long as you want him to!" Niall beamed at them "Happy to be of service"

It didn't escape Perrie's notice that Niall, although blushing, returned the minuscule wink that Zayn flickered at him.  They must be plotting this.  How sweet a boyfriend she had, for him to go to all this trouble, just to spend some time alone with her.

"Can you try and get him out the house for a bit?" Perrie pleaded with Niall "Take him for some proper food because he doesn't seem to be eating.  Maybe you could convince him to talk to Harry?  He really misses him, and I'm sure if they just saw each other everything would go back go normal"

"I'll do my best" promised Niall "Anything else mum?"

"Just cheer him up" shrugged Perrie "And if he wants to talk to you, let him.  Boy's carrying a serious load of tension"

 

"Surprise!" Niall chirped bursting through Perrie's bedroom door carrying a huge bag filled with clean clothes, beer cans and a small stash of weed.

He dropped said bag on the floor, before enveloping a very surprised Louis in a huge hug "You have no idea how boring it's been without you!"

He let Louis go, but held the boy at arms length giving him a critical once over.

"Mate?  What the fuck are you wearing?" he asked, not being able to help but let the smile tug at the corners of his mouth and gazing with raised eyebrows at Louis' attire - a bright red t-shirt, blatantly not his as the neck was incredibly wide and was hanging off one of his shoulders, and what looked like another pair of Perrie's knickers...purple ones.

Louis' face was as red as his t-shirt as he quickly grabbed a towel off the floor to hastily wrap around his waist.

"Wasn't expecting visitors" he mumbled, looking incredibly flustered and like he was in the company of a stranger, not Niall who he had been close friends with for years.

"Not even visitors who come baring clothes?" asked Niall, digging through the bag at his feet and pulling out a pair of his own basketball shorts, some actual mens boxer briefs and an oversized purple Jack Wills hoodie that Louis had once left at his flat.

"Ah thanks!" Louis exclaimed grabbing the boxers and shorts enthusiastically, shuffling about under his towel to change into the new, more comfortable garments.  His smile faltered when Niall handed him the hoodie, brow furrowing, bottom lip sucked into his mouth.  But took it anyway, not making any move to put it on, just holding it in his hands and staring at it.  Like it was going to suddenly bite him.

"Lou?"

"Yup?" Louis' head snapped up, seemingly glad of a distraction from whatever thought he had been momentarily lost in.

"Are you wearing eyeliner?"

Louis looked a little sheepish "Maybe"

"Cool!  Put some on me!" Niall demanded throwing himself on the bed "Make me look proper emo Tommo!" 

Louis carefully folded up the hoodie and placed it safely on the desk, choosing to stay bare chested, which Niall had no complaint about.

"How come you came over?" he asked, licking the tip of Perrie's black eye liner pencil and leaning close to Niall's face "Haven't heard from you all week?"

"Pezza said you wanted to be alone" Niall shrugged "Which sucked massively because I've become very much accustomed to your company lately"

Louis nodded slowly "How..." he coughed awkwardly "How...erm...is everyone?  I haven't exactly...erm..."

"Kept in contact with anyone?  Stopped talking to your best friends.  Not switched your phone on in five days?  Yeah, we know" Niall filled in the blanks.

"Lou, it's fine.  You found out some shit news.  You needed some space.  Dare I ask how you're doing?"  he prodded Louis' waist "Have you missed me too?" he wheedled, putting on his sweetest smile.

"I'm fine" Louis shrugged, trying to ignore the nagging feeling of emptiness that only a Harry could fill.

Niall rolled his eyes and took his hands as a gesture of comfort.

"This is me Lou" he smiled gently "You can talk to me.  You're my boy!"

Louis squeezed Niall's hands "I know" he said "I'm sorry I've been so distant" he told him, looking down at their entwined hands "I've had a lot to think about"

"Well it's time to stop thinking" Niall stated "Move that fine ass of yours, we're going out!"

"I don't want to go out" Louis complained "I'm happy here"

"Well you can be happy here later.  But for now it's all about fresh air, lots of good quality chicken and me!" Niall insisted, shoving his hands under Louis' armpits and lifting him up "Please Lou!" he whined "Come eat some chicken with me.  I don't want to eat on my own!"

"This isn't some elaborate set up to make me talk to Harry is it?" Louis asked suspiciously 

"I swear" Niall told him solemnly watching as Louis made a face and finally put on the Jack Wills hoodie.

"What's wrong with the clothes I brought?" Niall asked as they left Perrie's room, locking the door behind them "I thought you loved that hoodie"

"It's Hazza's" was all Louis could say, his words hanging heavy and prominent in the air "That's why it's my favourite"

Niall inwardly swore to himself as he followed Louis down the stairs and outside.  Somehow he didn't think this night was going to go how he had wanted it to.

 

"I have to admit, I do feel better" Louis told Niall, feeling a little tipsy as they wandered aimlessly along the streets near their homes "That chicken was the best chicken I have ever had!  I would actually cluck just to have some more of it!" He laughed loudly as Niall took his que and began to strut around in a circle, flapping his arms and making some quite realistic clucks.

Louis had been quiet through dinner.  Not really inputting much into the endless stream of conversation Niall had tried to keep up, giving short answers with no follow up questions in response.  But Niall had persevered.  After they had finished, Niall took Louis to one of their favourite student bars, thankful that in his dark and mopey mood, Louis didn't need that much encouragement to have a few drinks, have a bit of a dance and then a few more drinks to "rehydrate".  More chicken was demanded by Louis on their way home, wolfing it down with gusto, even to the point where he was starting to eat Niall's after his had all gone.  Instead of complaining that it was his food, Niall had willingly handing it over.  There were spices in his fringe, grease all around his mouth, and even some on his cheek bones.  But for the first time in quite a while, Louis looked happy.  And if sharing his food meant that Niall could keep him that way.  It was the least Niall could do.

"Good!" stated Niall, watching nervously as Louis pulled himself up onto a nearby wall and shakily started to walk along it "I told you that food fixes everything"

"No" Louis stopped and gave him a superior glance "Nialler fixes everything!"  he jumped off the wall "What are we going to do now?" he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet "It's still early right?"

"What do you want to do?" Niall asked him, checking his watch "We can't go back to mine because of all the sex that's bound to be going on.  We could go back to your place?  Have some more drinks, play a game?  He won't be there" he added quickly, seeing Louis stiffen at the thought "He's been at Liam's all week"

Louis shook his head quickly.  He was not ready to go home yet.  The thought of him even stepping foot inside his and Harry's home just made him want to cry.  It was hard enough wearing his hoodie all night, being feet away from his whole wardrobe would just be too much.

"Ok, I've got drinks and pot at Perrie's" Niall cheerfully reported, slinging his arm around Louis' shoulders and leading him in the direction of the student apartments.

"Haz hates me doing that stuff" Louis mumbled, slurring his speech a little and stumbling in his footsteps "No wonder he doesn't love me"

"I love you"

Niall forced them to stop walking, by applying pressure to the Louis' shoulder with his hand and spinning his sulky, frowning friend to face him.

"Aww" Louis' face lit up like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day "I love you too Ni!  You always say the right things to cheer me up!"  and still with the goofy little smile on his face, he pressed a warm, wet kiss to Niall's cheek "Come on" he urged with new found enthusiasm "Lets go and get high!"

It was all Niall could do not to yell in frustration.  Why wouldn't Louis actually hear what he was trying to tell him?

 

The first thing Louis did when they got back into Perrie's room was tear off Harry's hoodie and throw it across the room - before chasing after it, picking it up, carefully folding it up and tucking it out of sight in Perrie's wardrobe.  It was his favourite - just because it was Harry's he didn't want it to get damaged.  Of course it was his favourite because it was Harry's.  He just didn't want to see it right now.

The second thing he did was down the can of beer Niall chucked at him and the third was to settle down on Perrie's bed in just his boxers, deeply inhaling the fat, lit joint that Niall expertly made.

"You know Niallar" he struggled to say, as the weed hit him "I am so lucky to have a friend like you.  You are the bestest friend of all my friends!" he giggled and poked Niall in the side of the face "And you love me!" he finished, sloppily kissing him on the cheek again "You love me so much don't you Ni!  I bet, you love me so much that I could tell you anything and you would still love me!"

Niall could barely raise a smile.  If only Louis knew exactly how much he really loved him.  

"You couldn't tell me anything that would stop me loving you Lou" he replied intently, taking a bigger drag in order to numb his feelings.

 

They lay side by side on Perrie's single bed, sharing the pillow, heads almost touching as they passed the joint back and forth.

"I have to tell you something" Louis coughed, turning awkwardly to his side and accidentally blowing smoke in Niall's face "But it's a massive secret and you can't tell anyone"  

Niall turned his face to him, frowning as he grabbed the near finished blunt before a stupidly intoxicated Louis dropped it on the bedsheets.  He put it out safely in the ashtray and turned also onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow.

"What's up?" he asked, his heart beating a little more rapidly due to the seriousness of the tone "Are you ok?"

Louis, shirtless himself, started to play with the hem of Niall's t-shirt.  "I am important to you right?" he asked, not looking up "You wouldn't leave me would you because you didn't like something about me would you?"

Niall's frown deepened, he reached out with his hand and cautiously touched Louis' hip, with the tips of his fingers.  His skin was silky, smooth and so warm.

"I promise you little Lou Bear, there is nothing you could tell me that would make me dislike you" Niall promised, meaning every word.  Louis hadn't remarked upon where his fingers were touching, so (rather boldly), he flattened his hand and rubbed soothing circles on his waist, watching him with heightened curiosity.

Groaning under the weight of his thoughts, Louis' head lolled forwards, resting his forehead on Niall's shoulder that lay directly on the mattress. 

"You're all snuggly"

Niall's smile was slow and dopey from the weed as he listened to Louis mumble incoherently into his arm, he simply itched to take the hand he was using to stroke up and down Louis' waist and pull him towards his chest and just cuddle him.

"What did you want to tell me?" Niall asked, fighting the random urge to laugh "Are you falling asleep on me?" his gentle stroking evolving into stabby little tickles that had Louis wriggling around, drunkenly.

"It's very important" Louis pressed, head jerking backwards and smiling lazily at Niall through heavy lidded eyes "So no talking about it"

Niall made the motion of zipping up his mouth.  Louis' hair was damp with sweat and sticking to his forehead.  Niall combed it back, knowing that he was looking adoringly into Louis' face, but too out of it to really care.  He wanted Louis to know how he felt about him.

Louis brought his hands up to his face, squeezing his eyes shut, then covering them with his hands.

"I'm kinda gay!"

 

Niall waited for Louis to finish his sentence, but he said nothing else.  Louis just pressed his fingers harder against his face, gritting his teeth.

"Lou?" 

Niall couldn't help it.  He laughed wrapping his arm around Louis' waist and dragging him into his chest.

"No shit!" he smirked "You actually gonna tell me this secret or what?"

"That was my secret!" 

Louis was glaring at him from between his fingers, although not moving from where he was wedged against Niall "It's a big deal!"

"But I know you're gay Lou Bear" Niall screwed his face up in silent laughter.  This was so silly.

"But how?" Louis was sounding slightly like a grumpy toddler, sticking out his lower lip and pouting "If I didn't know then how did you know?"

Niall laughed at him "Stop messing around Lou" complained Niall "Are you gonna tell me this secret or not?"

"Niall!" Louis whined getting under the duvet and half hiding his face beneath it "I'm serious!"

 

Niall frowned "I don't get it" he told Louis, getting under the duvet too "How is this new information?  You've been doing stuff with Harry....."

His hand automatically latched onto Louis' hip, fingers caressing gently "Is this what you've been worrying about?"

Louis shifted a little, closing his eyes tightly, nodding, it looked painful for him.  Niall gulped, running his hand up Louis' side, over his toned chest, up his neck and stopped, cupping his cheek.

"You mean to say, you are worried about something that I find one of the most attractive things about you?" he breathed, thumbing softly at Louis' cheek bone, and running his fingers back through his hair, and sliding marginally closer "Lou...I can't even begin to tell you how stupid you're being"

Louis nuzzled into Niall's touch "I'm not stupid" he slurred, wrapping his arms around himself "I'm realistic...Hazza's straight.  It changes things"

Pulling Louis' arms apart, Niall pushed himself into his chest, nose to nose.  

"If Harry has a problem with you being gay" he stated, rubbing his nose gently against Louis' cheek as he felt the smaller boys arms snake around his back and cuddle into him "Then it just proves that he isn't the person you have up here" his fingers tapped on Louis' forehead "Harry isn't the only one for you Louis"

"There's no one else out there who would put up with my bullshit" Louis complained "Except El...only that will never work again because...well she has girl parts..."

"Lou, I put up with your bullshit on a daily basis" Niall laughed dryly "And believe me there is no one else who could possibly so hot and sexy whilst doing it as you do, I've seen you puke and I still want to kiss you!"

Louis pulled away from Niall a fraction.  His blue eyes were looking at him with what could only be described as caution "What?" he asked slowly, wondering if he had misheard, and feeling all fuzzy and disoriented.  He was certain that Niall had just said he wanted to kiss him.

"You're not the only guy here who's gay" Niall explained, and Louis was suddenly very aware that their legs were tangled together under the covers, and Niall's fingers were stroking the back of his neck.  He went to respond, but whatever he had been about to say was lost in transition as Niall very gently pressed his lips to the edge of Louis' jaw being able to hear the kiss louder than he felt it, because it was so soft and gentle.

"Was that okay?" Niall asked, husky and hesitant.

Louis, not knowing what was happening, nodded, trying not to feel so surprised when Niall gave him a little smile, and dipped his head, this time pressing his lips to the column of Louis' neck, gently pressing little kisses and licks all over it.  Louis couldn't help it, he whined and tightened his arms around Niall.

"Do you like me caring about you?" Niall whispered, his lips close to Louis' ear as he nibbled on his lobe "Because if you let me, I will take care of you every day for the rest of your life.  I love you so much Lou.  Please give me a chance"

Suddenly Niall's lips weren't by his ear, instead he had cupped Louis' face in his hands, their mouths meeting in a confused, heavy kiss.

 

Louis couldn't deny that he hadn't sunk straight into the kiss because he had.  Niall's mouth was soft and gentle, and he tasted like smoke and chicken, and he loved Niall with every fibre in his body.  But he wasn't in love with him.  He was in love with Harry.  He wanted Harry.  And this felt so wrong, and so bad and so so very wrong.

But he was scared and lonely and as guilty as he felt for possibly leading Niall on and there was a very big chance that he was cheating on Harry right now, if they hadn't actually split up - he needed the reassurance.  The reassurance that he was loved and cared about and he wanted the affection the kissing was providing.  

He kissed back, all his thoughts contradicting each other and a massive jumbled heap of confusion.  He let Niall roll on top of him, pausing just long enough to look deeply into Louis' eyes, looking so happy and content that he could possibly burst at any moment "I love you so much Louis" he told him "I loved you yesterday, I love you today and I will love you tomorrow and always.  You've always been my Lou" he murmured before resuming their kiss - which Louis, rather guiltily, put his whole heart and soul into.  After all, if Harry wasn't interested in him anymore, it would be stupid to throw away someone who was.

 

 

"How do I look?" asked Harry nervously, coming out of the bathroom and into Liam's bedroom.

"Please tell me you have not taken two days of ignoring my advice to pick out an outfit?" Liam asked sighing, but nodding in approval "You look great"

"No" Harry pulled out a sheet of paper from his coat pocket "been working on my apology"

"Lets see"

Liam took the paper from the outstretched hand and skimmed over the neatly written words "you seriously wrote a speech?"

Harry twisted his fingers together "I might forget to say things" he explained "It's just a prompt sheet really"

Liam smiled, a true encouraging smile "I'm really proud of you" he told him "Although..." he checked his watch "Isn't it a bit late?  Lou and Perrie will probably be asleep right now"

"Perrie's at Zayn's" Harry answered taking back the paper and folding it carefully "He's home alone...and I can't wait a minute longer"

Liam nodded understanding "Don't forget your present" he reminded him, indicating to the carefully wrapped package on top of the chest of drawers "If anything can explain everything in one go, then it's that.  It's really wonderful Harry"

"I was thinking I would save that for the surprise" Harry told him scratching his head and looking between Liam and the package.

"And I think you'll get to the surprise a lot quicker if you give that to him now" 

Harry looked between them once more and then happily grinned at Liam, picking it up and looking around for a bag to put it in "You are always right" he conceded "So.  I'm all ready" he reminded himself, squaring his shoulders, looking like he was about to go into battle "Do you really think this will work?" he asked suddenly worried.

"I think you should go now" Liam answered "Want me to drive you?"

"Nah" Harry said quickly "I can rehearse what I'm going to say on my way over.  I need to get this absolutely perfect"

He went to leave, but paused in the doorway.

"Thanks for everything Li" he said over his shoulder

"Anytime bro.  One of five remember"

"One of five" Harry smiled as he repeated Liam's words.  Hurrying out into the darkness.  Speech in his pocket, Louis' present clutched in his hand.  Rekindled hope in his heart as he hurried all the way to Perrie's dorm where the love of his life was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	19. Revised 15/1/15

It took Harry forty five minutes to walk to Perrie's dorm.

Admittedly it should have only taken him twenty - but nerves were starting to get to him, and he had to keep stopping to ring Liam for reassurance that everything was going to be fine, yes his hair had looked ok when he left, and yes, it was definately a good time to give him his present.

Liam was a very good friend, he never complained about the time or called Harry annoying - which he was sure he was.

Just. This was about Louis. He had one shot to get this right, and Harry was well aware that he would either be leaving the building with Louis and happy - or without him and devastated. Something Liam was also well aware of.

He quickly found Perrie's room, and wondered if he should knock or just try the door. There was a light on that he could see through the crack and although he couldn't hear any sounds, Louis never went to sleep with the light on. He was also notorious about forgetting to lock doors.

Feeling a fresh wave of confidence, Harry took the handle in his hand and carefully pushed the door open, peeping his head inside to quickly assess the reaction he would get for just turning up unannounced.

The next thing he saw, was not what he was expecting.

"Hi" was all he could utter, taking in the scene in front of him.

Niall and Louis were in Perrie's single bed together. Louis was almost completely covered up with the duvet, only his hair poking out of the top and clearly fast asleep.

Niall was lying on his back, propped up on a number of pillows whilst watching something on his phone that was clutched in his right hand. His left arm was completely out of sight.

Niall looked up at Harry in surprise "Hi" he repeated, looking at Harry first and then down at a sleeping Louis "what are you doing here?" He whispered, confirming that Louis was indeed fast asleep.

"Need to talk to Lou" whispered back Harry, edging further into the room and closing the door as quietly as possibly "What are you doing here?"

Niall looked a little annoyed "I'm spending time with my friend" he hissed in reply "I thought that would have been obvious"

Harry felt taken aback. He knew he hadn't left things on the bestest of terms with Niall, but he didnt think he deserved the look of possibly hatred that was currently showing in his usual happy-go-lucky eyes.

"I just...." Harry didnt know what to say. He hadn't written a template for this scenario.

"Go away Harry" Niall hissed at him "Louis' asleep and he doesn't need your lies right now. We had a good evening together - Dont ruin it"

"When did you turn so hateful?" Harry marvelled "It's like I don't even know you anymore"

Niall went to reply, but stopped as Louis moved in his sleep, turning over onto his other side, pushing the duvet down his bare chest, facing Harry for the first time and exposing the location of Niall's left arm - around Louis who was hugging it to his chest.

Harry watched as Niall looked down at the smaller boy fondly, afjusting his own position so Louis wouldn't have a crick in his neck when he woke up.

"I am not hateful" Niall told him in the same low tone "Im just looking out for Lou. He's been through enough already and I don't want him hurting any more"

"Then let me make it up to him" Harry got closer to the bed. He wished he could kneel down next to it, and kiss his baby awake like he had done on so many mornings and hopefully see that beautiful smile that he had always been awarded with.

Harry thought Louis always looked perfect when he was asleep. It was the only time his face was completely relaxed and angst free. His thick black eyelashes would fan across his cheeks, flickering when he was dreaming, and sometimes he would make the most adorable little snuffles and grunts. They shouldn't have been attractive, but they made Harry's heart melt every single time he heard them.

Only now all Harry was feeling was jealousy. He didnt like how his baby was clutching at another mans arm or sleeping with him - even if it was only platonic. He hated that Niall was in the place he wanted to be in most of all.

Suddenly he frowned. What was that on his babies neck? He knew exactly what the small red and purple mark was...but how on earth did it get there? His eyes flickered up to Niall, feeling his watchful stare. He looked back at the mark - then back at Louis, who was once again twitching in his sleep, nuzzling into Niall's arm.

Niall's face to the casual observer was one of pure innocence, but to a long term friend, it was just a little too pure and innocent for his liking.

Niall had always been a bad actor - and this was as false as you could get.

"How long?" Harry gulped, the severity of the situation freezing him to the spot "Has this been going on for?"

"I don't know what you are talking about" Niall replied a little too smugly "Seen something odd Harry? Something you don't like?"

"How could you do this to me?" Harry asked helplessly, wanting to snatch Louis out of his former friends arms and clutch him tightly to his chest "You know how much I love him"

"We can't talk about this here" Niall commented abruptly "He could wake up at any moment"

"We need to talk about this now!"

Harry knew his voice had risen. That he sounded squeaky and high pitched. But he could not/ would not leave now. He wanted to call Liam, he wanted to punch that expression off Niall's face. He wanted to cry.

"Get up!" He demanded hissing  "Get up and we will talk about this outside"

"No" smirked Niall "Lou will wake up of I move. Besides, this isn't up for discussion"

Louis moved again in his sleep, turning back over to bury his face in Niall's side, resting his arm across the blonde boys chest and sighing contentedly. It hurt Harry's heart to see.

"Can you get the light on your way out?" Niall asked, shuffling down the bed and taking Louis in his arms, delighted at how the small boy manovered himself in his sleep so that his head was resting on Niall's bare shoulder "I really need to get some sleep and I'm so comfortable"

"I'm not leaving" Harry's voice came through cracked and pained "I'm not leaving Lou alone with you"

"Suit yourself" Niall sounded bored "Torture yourself all you like"

Harry watched Niall close his eyes, cuddling up to his baby. Tears welled up in his eyes as he heard a little snuffle and a huff of breath escape Louis' mouth and it kept every restraint he had inside him not to wake him up and beg him to come home with him.

The minutes ticked past. After thirty, Niall opened his eyes, glaring openly at Harry who was still stood as still and rigid as a statue, tears openly cascading down his cheeks as he silently cried.

"Fucks sake! Get out Harry!" Niall snarled, forgetting to whisper, chucking a nearby lighter in his direction.

The harsh words combined with the movement of his right arm shocked Louis awake, jolting his head off Niall's arms and looking at the blonde boy with bleary eyes.

"Ni?" He whimpered "What's going on?"

"Shhh" Niall said immediately, wrapping his arms around the small boy and guiding his head back to his shoulder - mentally kicking himself for waking him up and hoping Harry wouldn't take it upon himself to do anything stupid.

Louis sleepily complied, lowering himself into Niall's arms, as his cheek came into contact with warm, pale skin, he raised his face once more to sleepily kiss the corner of Niall's mouth, propping himself up on one elbow as he went to deepen their kiss, fully covering Niall's lips with his own, wriggling his hips in pleasure as Niall slid his hands down Louis' bare back, cupping his bum cheeks and giving them a little squeeze.

Niall's smug gleam never left his eyes as he kissed and groped Louis, his gaze never leaving Harry's face which had gone chalky white, finding great difficulty in actually believing he was really seeing what was going on right in front of him.

Heart thudding wildly, pulsing in his ears, Harry had never felt such pain...pain didn't even cover a fraction of what he was feeling...this was worse...so gut wrenching, brain melting, violence inducing agony.

Louis was making his little noises - the ones that managed to sound so sweet and so sexy at the same time, little whimpers that, when en mass and coupled with little grabby hands to his torso, sent Harry's nervous system into disarray.

It was going haywire now...Harry was meant to be the only male Louis wanted, needed, trusted....he didnt understand! How could Niall even begin to do this to him? How could Louis do this to him? How long had this been going on for?

Harry's sad little brain made him feel like he was standing in the dark, in the pouring rain, shivering from the cold, looking into somebody else's cosy living room with a roaring fire and dry clothes. Louis was exactly what he wanted, but he was being enjoyed by someone else....

It was the wink Niall gave him as he pulled Louis' crotch towards his that tipped Harry over the edge...making the sound of a dying animal, Harry's legs gave way, collapsing from underneath him, forcing him to hit the floor.

"Stop!" he heard his own voice croak out, a raw lump of emotion tightening in his throat "Please...stop!"

The moment he'd let the first noise out of his mouth, Louis jolted as though he had been stung by a hornet, shoving himself away from Niall, whipping his full body around as he sat upright, the complete definition of shock and alarm on his delicate features.

"What the fuck!" He exclaimed groggy and aghast "Harry? What are you doing here?"

Helpless on the floor, not able to find the strength inside him to even run away, Harry looked pleadingly up at the flustered, embarrassed expression etched upon Louis face, then at a still smug...but worried face of Niall hovering behind Louis' shoulder.

"How long has this been going on for?" He stuttered "Are you together?"

Louis gaped at him, only half hearing the question. In all his years of friendship with Harry, he had never seen him like this before, even on his worst day he had never looked as hurt and defeated as he did now. But why did he get to be the one who was hurt? Didn't Louis' feelings count for nothing?

Silence fell heavily in the room, the only sound being their own rapid heartbeats pulsating in their own ears and random little sniffs as Harry tried to stop his running nose.

"Haz...fuck...Why did you come now?" Louis groaned, his eyes never leaving Harry's "Why do you always fucking do this shit to me?"

"Do what to you?" Harry snapped suddenly looking appalled "Come to take you home? Come to apologise and explain? Come to tell you how much I've missed you and been thinking about you? Since when is that shit?"

His mouth closed in a thin tight line. "When were you going to tell me?" He demanded "When you changed your relationship status on Facebook so it pairs you up with Niall? Is this what you've been doing all week? Shacking up with him?"

"That's got nothing to do with you!" Louis growled "If I want to spend time, or kiss someone, I can! You do it! Why can't I? Are these special Harry rules that only apply to you?"

"I didn't touch anyone else!" Harry was not above begging. If begging would stop this from happening then it would do it on bended knees and clasped hands.

"Dont you dare deny those photos" Louis warned, feeling every part as sarcastic as his tone "I saw them!"

"It wasn't like that" Harry whined "Not like you and Niall! Why him Lou? Why Niall?"

"Niall likes me!" Louis almost shouted, jumping out of bed at the arrogance of Harry obviously thinking that no one was even remotely attracted to me "He kissed me because he wanted to, not because he was obligated to because of a stupid meaningless game!"

"A game?" asked Harry weakly "You think my feelings for you are a game? Why...how could you even begin to think that?"

The hurt in his voice was almost tangible, Louis fighting ever natural urge in his body to go and comfort his best friend/ boy he'd stupidly fallen in love with.

"Lou's got a point" shrugged Niall, watching Harry's eyes narrow as green eyes - both in colour and of envy - follow his arm snake around Louis' waist, coaxing him to sit back down on the edge of the bed and then just left it there, fingers lightly stroking his bare hip. Louis' eyes did flicker down to observe the action, but made no move to stop it.

"Can we talk about this at home?" Harry asked tiredly "Without your boyfriend fondling you?"

"Niall's not my boyfriend" Louis made a face at Harry, ignoring Niall's disappointed pout "What do you need to say that you can't say in front of one of our best mates?"

"Yeah!" Niall but in, sounding deceptively warm and comforting "You can say anything in front of me Haz, you always used to favour confiding in me about particular topics...why stop now?"

Harry ceased looking upset to give Niall a withering look.

"You, my friend" he stated, slowly deliberately "Are not my kind of pal"

"You're so touchy" Niall hooked his chin over Louis' shoulder "Maybe you should sod off home like I suggested when you first showed up" he nosed at Louis' soft cheek "He wouldn't listen to me when I told him you needed your sleep"

"Maybe you should sod off and let me and Louis sort things out?" Harry snarled, curling his lip in disgust as Niall planted a kiss on his cheek, he turned to Louis, eyes huge with honesty "Please baby?"

Against his better judgement, Louis felt his frosty barrier melt slightly at the familiarity of Harry's little name for him, and the warmth and comfort it had always given him.

Suddenly his mind was bursting with memories. The laughter they'd shared, late night talks, play fighting with lightsabers, knowing looks, inside jokes, long cuddles....and more recently...heated, sensuous, passionate kisses and touches...he missed Harry...the old Harry...his Harry, so much, and if Niall hadn't have been holding him around his waist so securely...

"Please Lou, can we just talk about this?"

The tips of Harry's long fingers grazed Louis' temple, trembling out of nerves, his other hand giving his knee a little squeeze.

Their eyes met, Louis frowned, biting down on his lip, all his emotions were contradicting each other. Harry was so close to him now that he could smell that irrisistable scent that always clung to his hair, skin and clothing. Sandalwood, Shea butter, worn leather - all musky, triggering hundreds more memories, almost banishing the newer, more complex emotions that Louis had spent all the lonely hours of the past few days rehashing, analysing, obsessing over...with no clear conclusion.

"Oy!" Snapped Niall, swatting first at Harry's hand on Louis' cheek, and again on the one still resting on his knee. Even after Harry had snatched his hand away (open frustration glittering in his eyes from Niall interrupting their private moment), Louis could still feel the heat on his skin like it was still there.

"Go home Harry" demanded Niall finally, recognising the glazed, wistful expression of Louis surcombing to the curly haired, doofus' charms "You're upsetting him! Just accept it, you had your chance and you screwed it up! It's my turn now!"

Niall's sentence got more and more high pitched as it continued, Harry went to open his mouth, but was instantly interrupted before he could get out the first sylibol

"Excuse me?!" Louis jumped to his feet, turning on Niall "Your turn? What do you think I am?"

For someone who was shorter than most lads his age, the annoyance was shown more by how he drew himself up to his full height, glaring defiantly at his friend who was in the process of shoving his fist into his mouth, as if that was the thing to do to rewind time and not utter that sentence!

Harry couldn't stop the faint chuckle at Niall's expense, which was clearly the wrong thing to do.

Nostrils flaring, Louis rounded on Harry. "Dont you start" he warned jabbing a finger at Harry's forehead "You think you can just come here in the middle of the night and think I'll just come trotting after you?"

Harry shook his head animatedly "no no no no" he was muttering softly over and over again, slowly moving closer, one hand stretched out in front of him

"I'm so sorry baby" he insisted "I just couldn't wait any longer...I...."

"I waited all week for you" Louis widened his eyes accusingly "You didn't come"

"I wanted to...I..."

"Hazza..." Louis' lower lip wobbled. Harry was so near to him, yet he felt so far away "Can we just...not?"

"Thank fuck for that!" Niall exclaimed, jumping up and going to the door "Out you go Mr Styles, have a pleasant journey home"

"I'm not leaving Louis alone with you remember"

"How about I go home" Louis suggested sarcastically "And you can fight it out between yourselves...let me know who's turn it is" he started pulling his clothes on, retrieving his beloved hoodie out of it's hiding place and tugging it over his head.

Harry and Niall shared a puzzled glance, the first thing they had agreed to for a long time.

"Where are you going Lou?" Harry asked, trying to keep a lid on the hope that was bubbling impatiently in his chest.

"Home" replied Louis shortly, looking at neither of them, but pocketing his phone and keys.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Niall asked quickly "We could..."

Louis patted Niall's shoulder "Ni, don't get me wrong, I really appreciate you...being...well you...and being there for me...but I really need to get some sleep...it's five fucking AM...and you two are just pissing me off!"

"You actually want me to stay here with him?" Harry huffed "I am not sharing a bed with him!"

"Good! I didn't want...."

"Shut up" Louis bossed bypassing Harry and giving Niall a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek

"I'll call you" he promised "Night mate" and strode to the door throwing it open, strutting out into the hallway.

Harry's cheeks reddened with embarrassment. Louis must be more furious than he'd realised...or Louis and Niall were closer than he'd originally considered.

Where was his hug? Where was his kiss? Where was his promise of a phone call?

Something that Niall had gleefully noticed.  It really was over...

Without warning, the door was flung open once more and Louis stomped through, glaring at Harry

"Are you coming or what?" He asked stroppily "You should have been trotting at my heels by now! Hop to it Styles!"

His face slightly resembled an expression usually found on cross looking cats and his bark was at this point out of place coming out of his beautiful little mouth, but despite Louis being all prickly and unwelcoming, Harry knew that this was his way of throwing him a life line.

Louis wanted him to go home with him, he didnt know what was going to happen after they left Perrie's dorm, but at this point, Louis could scream and shout at him all he wanted - as long as he kept talking to him...

"Haz!"

"Ow!"

Louis snapped Harry out of his churning mind space by giving a sharp tug to his hair.

"What?" He grumbled, rubbing his sore scalp.

And for seconds, Louis' tough guy mask slipped, eyes crinkling as he smirked at Harry's discomfort.

"Time to take me home Hazza" he finished, yawning widely "I miss my bed"

Feeling a huge weight lift from his shoulders, Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he ushered the smaller boy out of the room and shut the door forcefully behind him.

As much as he wanted to shoot a shit eating grin at his new nemesis...he couldn't face seeing the expression that was no doubt on the silent lads face - Harry was worried he would recognise it as the one he'd worn when he realised he'd lost Louis, and he wouldn't wish that on anyone.


	20. Thank You!

I just wanted to take time and thank everyone who read, left kudos, subscribed and commented on the last couple of chapters!

It was a completely overwhelming, very unexpected response (my email was pinging all day and night!) and I really appreciate the time you took to tell me your thoughts and your ideas, which gave me a lot to think about and consider and you were all very tactful - something I also appreciate!

I think I should say, that this is always going to be first a foremost a Larry story, Nouis was just something I was playing about with, so I'm very sorry if I wasn't clear about that.

Once again, thank you so much for the time and effort you spent reading and giving me feedback (I really can't express what that means to me) and I hope you stick around for the next chapter :) 

 

Take care, lots of love

xxx


	21. Chapter 21

Neither Harry or Louis talked on the way home.  

"Do you want a cup of tea?" Harry asked nervously, once they were safely inside the front door "I could bring it to you in bed if you want to go get comfy?"

Louis frowned in contemplation, sinking his teeth into his lower lip, then slowly shaking his head.

"Can we just go to bed?" he asked hesitantly, shuffling his feet, looking shy "Like now?"

"Sure" Harry nodded, prepared to agree to anything that Louis wanted.  He was after all, just grateful that he was actually here and was talking to him.  

There was an awkwardness in the air, Harry clumsily leaning in to give him a small hug, which, he was afraid wasn't welcome - Louis did nothing to reciprocate the gesture.

"I'll see you in the morning" Harry promised, more than a little concerned that Louis was changing his mind about inviting Harry back with him, was he wishing he with Niall....whatever was going on there anyway?

He turned to go into his bedroom.  Not that he was going to sleep, the sun was already rising, and he wasn't tired in the slightest.  As soon as he closed his eyes, he would relive the past few hours - no doubt including images that he would rather claw his eyes out than see again!

 

"Where are you going?" 

Louis' eyes were having trouble staying open he was so tired, his smaller body leaning heavily against his doorframe, letting it take the weight off his weary feet.

"Bed?" 

As soft and sleepy as Louis looked, he still managed to look frustrated.

"Wrong room love...but whatever" he muttered heaving himself away from the wall and stumbled into his own room, making a loud thump as he attempted a swan dive onto his beloved bed.

It was effortlessly adorable.

"You alright there Lou?" Harry asked gently from his position at his doorway "Did you want me to sleep in here?" He had to ask, just incase his ears and the hopeful part of his brain was playing tricks on him.  

The reply he gave was inaudible and muffled, but it was a clear head nod that made Harry venture into Louis' bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Now what?  Was he allowed in the bed?  Would Louis mind if he took his t-shirt and jeans off?  What did Louis want?  

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Harry's nervous smile lost it's tension slightly as he watched Louis struggle to get his hoodie over his head, finally giving up by flopping his arms down by his ribs, fully constricted by the knot he'd managed to tie himself in.

Laughing, Harry crawled over to him, de tangling one arm, then the other and finally exposing that little smirking face.

"Hey" he greeted in a whisper, itching to smooth his rumpled hair.  It was so hard having to stop himself from doing even the smallest gesture, unsure of what the rules were concerning touching and affection.

Louis didn't seem to have a problem with such boundaries.  

"You going to sleep like that?" He asked skeptically eyeing his clothes and then raising one perfectly shaped eyebrow "Hurry up" he complained scrambling under the covers and yawning widely "Want cuddles"

It was like being in the middle of a strange dream thought Harry as he pulled his t-shirt off and started unbuttoning his jeans.  After such an...eventful night - seeing Louis and Niall being intimate, feeling the floor drop from beneath him, crying his heart out....and now here he was, about to get into bed with Louis at the smaller boys request...where was the catch here?

Taking a large, unsteady breath, Harry slid under the covers, trying to act natural, which was difficult with tired, yet alert beautiful blue eyes transfixed on him.

"Better" Louis mumbled approvingly scooting into Harry's frame, nuzzling his nose into his neck, wrapping his arms snuggly around his waist.

Every inch of Harry's body went rigid at Louis touch, it all just seemed wrong...too good to be true...was he really still at Liam's?

"Hazza?" Louis' voice was scratchy and he clutched his fingers around his shoulder blades a little tighter "what's wrong?"

Harry didn't know how to answer, if he did, if he said the wrong thing, this unbelievable opportunity of having his baby in his arms one more time, could just vanish instantly.  He longed to press his lips against Louis' smooth forehead, whisper sweet words into his ear, breathe every part of him in and memorise it all - just incase fate took this time away from him as quickly as it had been given to him.

"Hazza?" Louis tried again and clumsily patting his cheek "Stop overthinking"

"When are we going to talk about this?" Harry asked, screwing his eyes up, sounding pained "This feels weird"

He felt Louis shake his head against his shoulder and cuddle in closer, pressing his feet against Harry's warm legs.

"Don't wanna talk" he murmured "Just want to be us...want to be normal...just for tonight"

"Us?" Harry repeated, managing to quiver with just one word "Normal"

"Yeah" Louis was almost asleep now "Had a shit week....want to be with my best mate...talking can wait..."

"I'm so sorry" Harry just couldn't keep the words in his mouth any longer, not that it felt any better once he had said it, "Lou..."

A slightly sharper tap of Louis' hand stung his cheek, and he winced despite the lightness of touch - the intentions clear - whatever he wanted to say, he would have to wait for Louis to be ready.  Which was good, he had no idea how to address the subject of Niall!

 

Louis slept long and deep, snuffling in his usual contented little way, gripping onto Harry tightly, even though his mind was far away.

Harry didn't sleep.  Just watched his baby, hoping that this wasn't going to be the last time the lad fell asleep in his arms, but wanting to remember every second of this time just in case it was.

"Haz?" Louis' voice was scratchy and uncertain, lifting his face from where it had been tucked between Harry's neck and shoulder "You're still here"

Harry hated how he sounded surprised.

"You ok?" were his first words, very relieved that Louis' first reaction hadn't been to kick him out of bed, or call him Niall - if there had been anything to obsess over, that was the ultimate topic.

Louis licked his lips, murmuring nonsence in a sleepy daze.

"Don't get up" he pretty much ordered, throwing one leg over both of Harry's to pin his lower body to the bed, as well as his chest that half his body was already draped over.

Harry had no intention of even moving.  If this was what Louis wanted, he was more than happy to comply.

"When did you want to talk?" He couldn't help but ask, their problems at the front of his mind.

Louis lifted his face once more and scowled "Can't we just...I dunno...just 'be' for a bit?" He asked "Why do we have to be all heavy and stuff so damn early?" _  
_

"It's gone 1pm Lou" Harry carefully reminded him "We didn't go to bed until really early this morning"

Louis pretty much ignored Harry "What do you wanna do for the rest of the day?" He asked, resuming his favoured position in Harry's arms "Want to get the boys round tonight and hang out?"

 

Harry was at a complete loss to know what to say or do.  He had expected to be having a full on row with Louis by now, with him pleading with the smaller boy to forgive him...not making plans with their mates for the evening as they cuddled in bed.

"Erm..." he stammered, watching Louis keenly, trying to work out what page he was on.

"I'm thinking pizza" Louis deliberated into his bare chest "And beer...have we got any?"

"Er...."

"what's the matter with you?" Louis suddenly asked, leaning away from Harry to give him a shrewd glance "Cat got your tongue?" and gave Harry a smug little smirk before hopping out of bed to grab the remote for the tv that had, at some point been chucked on the floor.

"What's the matter with you?" Harry retorted, his anxiety making him snap a little "Are you in denial or something?"

Louis raised both his eyebrows, and paused, one leg folded on top of the duvet where he had been getting back into bed.

"I don't know what you are talking about" he replied a little stiffly "I was only thinking it would be fun to hang out with our boys....but if you don't want to do that, why don't you come up with something better?"

"I think you're trying to make this as difficult as possible" Harry stated sitting up in bed "What do you want Louis?  Do you want to fix things?  Or do you just want to ignore them until they get worse"

"Are you still on that?" Louis asked rolling his eyes "Fine" he sat down and pulled his knees up to his chest "Don't interrupt me" he warned jabbing at Harry's chest with his finger.

Harry held up both hands in submission, but his eyes darted around in a slightly erratic fashion, not willing to meet Louis' piercing, unblinking stare.  He felt sweat starting to seep out of his pores, skin feeling uncomfortably cold and clammy, he was also surprisingly more aware of his tongue, his throat feeling so dry.

"Ok" Louis started, voice strong and direct, like it always was when he had something important to say....or just something to say.

"I want my best mate back" he clasped his hands together around his legs "I want to forget all this shit ever happened, and I want to go back to how we were before"

His eyes widened a fraction and he stared at Harry defiantly, lips pressed into a thin line, not even when Harry's head snapped up from where he had been searching the cover of the duvet for the secrets of the universe.

"But Lou I'm so....."

Louis knelt up, maybe ttying to get a little bit taller than Harry in their sitting positions to keep control of their situaction.

"I don't care" Louis stated, sounding more than a little shitty, only urged on by the look of utter devastation on Harry's face "Whatever you want to tell me....I just don't want to hear it"

"You won't even let me defend myself?" asked Harry in disbelief "Or is this little speech anything to do with you and Niall?"

Louis bit his lip gently and shuffled on his knees closer to Harry, gently beginning to comb soft curls through his fingers

"When we were friends you wouldn't have given a shit about who I got with..."

Harry ground his teeth.  He bloody well did!

"...and there are a lot of things that you did that I wouldn't have cared about.  I want us to be like that again"

"I didn't cheat on you!" Harry hotly protested, scrambling to get on his knees too and leaning towards Louis, wanting to grab him by the shoulders and shake him.

"And as your friend, it would never have been an issue" shrugged Louis, looking a lot calmer than Harry was even close to feeling.  He felt like his world was unravaling in front of his eyes.

"Being your..." Louis paused to use active quotation marks "...boyfriend...was so hard.  I didn't know how to feel half the time and I was up and down like I was..." He frowned trying to find the right words "...Eleanor on her period!  For fucks sake Hazza, I was turning into a needy, pathetic girlfriend...and I hated it!  I hated that you kept secrets from me, I hated that you didn't come home, I hated how we gained something physical, but we lost who we were..." He went back to playing with Harry's hair "You mean so much to me Haz....I don't want to feel like that anymore, and I don't want to loose you...so...can't we just go back to how we were before?"

"I meant that little to you then" Harry asked sadly, shaking his head and looking at the duvet again "You won't even let me explain"

"I don't care Haz" Louis reminded him firmly "As your friend, I know that all that stuff was a crock of shit.  As your boyfriend...I don't know...it was different...I didn't like it...love isn't meant to be hard, and this was hard"

Harry reached for Louis' hands, clasping them in his own and looking into his eyes exploring and desperate.

"Lou, I love you!"

Louis smiled faintly, stroking the backs of his hands with his thumbs "I love you too Hazza, which is why I want us to forget about this shit experience and move on from it.  I...it's like I don't even know you anymore...and I hate that the most...I missed you so much and..."

"Louis shut the hell up and listen to me!" Harry slapped his hand across Louis' mouth, his finger tips accidently digging into the soft skin of his cheek as Louis objected, trying to twist his face away.

"I am so sorry Lou" Harry insisted, holding his hand firmly against the smaller boys mouth and trying to soften the look in his stormy looking eyes "I know that I fucked up!  I know I let you down!  I know I hurt you and was an insensitive prick..."

Harry didn't even get to finish what he had to say, because Louis managed to prise the long fingers off his face, by jumping to his feet.

"You are determined to make this as hard as possible aren't you" he groaned covering his own face with his own hands and beginning to pace up and down the room "Harry, you have got to stop saying sorry!  I don't care!  And neither should you" he finished quietly.

"why shouldnt I care?" Harry asked, getting to his feet and approaching Louis with caution, trying to work out how to get into his arms again.

Louis sighed again, hugging his arms around his body tightly as though he was trying to hold himself together, looking troubled and very small.

"Because if you care and make a big thing of it, then I'm going to have to tell you how fucking sorry I am!" He burst out, bottom lip all of a tremble "All of this is all my fault and I am so sorry Haz!"

"What?" Harry retracted quickly "What are you talking about?"

Louis let out another dramatic sigh and sat down once more on the edge of the bed.

"All of this is my fault" he told the floor quietly "All this time...I've just been subconciously forcing myself on you.  I made you kiss me the first time...and the second...you didn't even want to do Niall's stupid idea..." He rubbed his nose awkwardly "I fucking forced you into it...and I kissed you again...I manipulated you and...and I didn't even realise I was doing it at the time..."

Louis broke off as he felt the bed dip next to him and Harry slide his hand around his waist.

"Lou..." Harry tried to interrupt, but Louis wouldn't let him.  He had come this far now, he was going to finish.

"I realised something this week" he continued "The truth is Haz, that I'm in love with you...and I probably have been since the day we met...but I just didn't understand it at the time...because I didn't realise I was attracted to you like that...or liked men...at all...and the thought of being with you like that...is just the best feeling I have ever felt" he gave a quick glance at Harry's shocked face, misreading it completely as an expression of revulsion "It's ok Hazza" he said even quieter than before "I understand...why you spent all that time with Taylor, why you didn't come home, why you would run out on me after we did stuff together, why you were keeping secrets from me...it's because you don't feel the same way about me, you didn't want to do this...and I was such a selfish twat to think that you would even go for someone like me..."

"Lou..." Harry gripped Louis' arm tightly, his voice bubbling 

"Harry I'm so fucking sorry!" Louis looked up into Harry's gorgeous face "Please be my friend again!  I know I ruined everything by being a selfish little shit, but I promise you, I will try so hard to only look at you as a friend from now on...and I won't let it be awkward...I'll be the best mate that you want and need and I will make this up to you!" He breathed in a deep breath, not aware that he was trembling "Please forgive me Harry" he asked pleadingly "and please don't say you are sorry to me again, because I know its all my fault...and I feel so guilty!"

"You're in love with me?" Harry asked dumbly.  He admittedly barely heard a good deal of what Louis had said after those five little words he felt like he had waited all his life to hear.  His heart was beating faster and faster, humming and fluttering inside his chest.

"Forget I said it!" Louis demanded looking horrified that he'd exposed so many feelings that he maybe should have left unsaid "I promise it will be fine, I'll move on and forget about it... I don't know how I'm going to do that...but nothing will change between us I swear!" His voice cracked "Please don't leave me!" His voice was desperate in tone "I need you in my life Hazza!  I need you so badly!  Please forgive me!"

The smile that spread across Harry's face was almost blinding it was so bright, his dimples so deep, they looked like gigantic craters in his cheeks, his eyes glittering like a thousand stars in a clear sky - but even more beautiful.

Very carefully, Harry put his arms around his baby, standing up and pulling the smaller boy into his arms, then sitting back down with him sitting (slightly rigid) in his lap.

"Listen to me baby" he beamed at him, his head and heart feeling lighter, yet fuller than it had done in a long time, not able to stop smiling even to speak "I'm in love with you too, and if you are in love with me, I don't want you to stop!"

"But..." Louis stuttered, shaking his fringe out of his eyes.

"Shhh" whispered in his very sexy raspy tone, a still smiling Harry, pressing his index finger to Louis' soft pink lips "We've done enough talking" he breathed in deeply, trying to steady himself before closing the gap between to gently kiss the one boy who managed over and over again to turn his world upside down.

"Say it again" he smiled against Louis' lips, raising his hands into his hair, nosing cheek "Say you're in love with me again"

Louis drew his head back a couple of inches, face etched with awed wonder "I've fallen in love with you Hazza" he breathed

"I love you too Lou" Harry responded, quickly rolling Louis onto his back, kissing him eagerly "I love you so much"

That was the moment both of them stopped holding back.  Fleeting, deep, frantic kisses ensued, each boy holding the other so impossibly close, both of them murmuring through their kisses how much they loved each other.

Louis straddled Harry, more aware than ever of how thin and sparse the matetial was between them, wanting there to be so much less.

Harry's hands were comfortably settled on his bum, purposely rocking him back and forth, his own hips snapping erractically, back arching as just the slightest amount of friction on his hardening cock made him moan out loud.

"Too far away" he whimpered as Louis threw his head back with a gasp after a particularly vicious thrust, exposing the delicate expanse of his swan like neck "Get here baby" he couldn't even look at one square inch of Louis' skin without attaching his lips to it, wanting to mark it with a smattering of purples, reds and blues, claiming him for everyone to see.  

"Missed this" Louis gasped out, colapsing on top of Harry's long frame, his palms pressed to Harry's cheeks, kissing Harry with the built up urgency and need that had been building up inside, even more so when he had resigned himself to never feeling those delicious between his ever again "Missed you, love you"

"Want you" Harry could barely get the words out, he was aching for Louis so badly it was physically hurting him to restrain himself, and Harry was desperately trying to restrain himself.

Very slowly, he slid his hand down the back of Louis' boxers, the pads of his fingers dotting over his cheeks, circling closer and closer to where his fingers had never been before, biting down and pulling at Louis' bottom lip, shaking looking up at his baby with hooded lustful eyes, the blue of Louis' eyes barely visible around the hugely dilated pupils from grinding down on him.

He half expected Louis to shy away from him, stutter an excuse and jump off him.  Harry did not, even in his wildest dreams, imagine Louis let out a very animalistic growl, and with the flexibility and prowess of a linx, pounced.


End file.
